In Seagoville, Texas there are numerous 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 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 commonly than they need to. A seasoned Seagoville, 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 legitimate. In general, these formalities exist with the goal of making fraud more challenging. 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 notably, 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 Seagoville, Texas

If you need to make a will quickly, some states authorize you to write a "holographic will." This is simply a will which the testator hand-writes. These types of wills don't need to be witnessed.

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 know that not all states recognize holographic wills. Of course, you could still handwrite your will if you desire; but to be legitimate, it would have to be accompanied by all of the formalities (witnesses being the big one) of any other will.

If your estate is fairly small, and the devises you wish to make aren't very confusing, a holographic will can be a good option if they're valid in your state. Of course, it's never a bad idea to make a will with the assistance of a lawyer.

How Can A Seagoville, Texas Lawyer Help?

Because of the formalities required in drafting wills, it's never a bad idea to have a seasoned Seagoville, Texas attorney help in making your will. Even if your will is quite simple, and you have all the formalities figured out, it's still easy to make mistakes without a good once-over by a professional.