Most of the issues that can pop up with wills in West Islip, New York, like challenges to the will's validity, can be avoided if the will is well-drafted in the first place.

If your estate doesn't contain a lot of money and property, and you only want to leave your assets to a few individuals, making a will can be pretty simple.

However even with "simple" wills, some easily-avoidable problems come up more frequently than they need to. A reliable West Islip, New York attorney can help you avoid these problems with careful will preparation.

Many problems with wills can be caused by failing to follow the proper formalities. These requirements are not very intricate, but they need to be followed scrupulously. If not, the will might be found to be invalid. In almost every state, the will must be witnessed and signed by two disinterested parties, and must include a clear statement that the document is, in fact, a last will and testament.

Holographic Wills in West Islip, New York

In some states, testators are permitted to make "holographic wills." This is a will which the testator hand-writes, in his or her own handwriting. Such wills do not need to have any witnesses to be given effect.

Holographic wills, assuming they're recognized, are interpreted very broadly. This gives them the best possible chance of truly being implemented, since they will rarely be invalidated on technicalities.

You should, however, know that not all states permit holographic wills. In such states, you can still hand write your will if you want, but all the formalities, such as witnesses, must be present.

If your state recognizes them, a holographic will might be a good option if you have a very small estate, and wish to make very simple devises. Nonetheless, it is never a bad idea to at least have an attorney review your will for completeness and clarity, even if you aren't having the attorney draft it from scratch.

How Can A West Islip, New York Lawyer Help?

Because of the formalities that are required for most wills to be valid, it is typically a good idea to have a West Islip, New York attorney help you make it, or at least go over it after you have written it, to make sure there aren't any problems with it.