In San Angelo, Texas there are several problems that can rear their heads, derailing the process of drafting or executing a will. Frequent examples include ambiguities in the language of the will, leading to conflicts and challenges. Most of these issues can be staved off through quality drafting.
If your estate doesn't include a lot of money and property, and you only want to leave your assets to a few people, making a will can be pretty simple.
But even with "simple" wills, some easily-avoidable problems come up more commonly than they need to. A brilliant San Angelo, Texas attorney can help you avoid these problems with careful will preparation.
With most wills, certain formalities have to be followed in the drafting process or will preparation, or else the will might not be valid. In general, these formalities exist with the goal of making fraud more difficult. The requirements for a will to be valid are pretty simple, but it's still possible to make mistakes in attempting to follow them. Most vitally, you should know that a will must contain a provision stating that the person making it is of sound mind, and really intends the document to be a will. Furthermore, the laws of most states require that wills be witnessed and signed by at least 2 neutral parties.
Holographic Wills in San Angelo, Texas
In some states, testators are authorized 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.
If holographic wills are valid in your state, courts will, as with any will, have to figure out what is really being said, and resolve ambiguities. Because holographic wills are not always written under ideal conditions, they have to be interpreted very liberally, so they can be given effect and not fail for technical reasons.
You should, however, know that not all states authorize 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.
Making a holographic will is rarely the ideal option. But it's sometimes the only option. If you find yourself suddenly needing to make a will, a holographic will is certainly an option, if they're recognized in your state. If possible, though, you should still talk with an attorney, who can review your holographic will and suggest any fixes that will make it easier to meet your goals.
How Can A San Angelo, Texas Lawyer Help?
Because of the formalities that are required for most wills to be valid, it is normally a good idea to have a San Angelo, Texas 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.
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