In Syracuse, Utah there are many problems that can rear their heads, derailing the process of drafting or executing a will. Typical 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 be warned: even a relatively simple will can encounter pitfalls in the drafting process, which can cause problems later on. An efficient Syracuse, Utah lawyer will greatly reduce the chances of this happening, if they help you in the process of robust 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 importantly, you should know that a will must contain a provision stating that the person making it is of sound mind, and truly intends the document to be a will. Additionally, the laws of most states require that wills be witnessed and signed by at least 2 neutral parties.

Holographic Wills in Syracuse, Utah

In some (but certainly not all) states, "holographic wills" can sometimes be treated as valid wills. A holographic will is just a will that is written entirely in the testator's own handwriting. They do not need to be witnessed in order to be valid.

Assuming that a holographic will is valid in your state, a court will probably interpret it very liberally, acknowledging the fact that it probably wasn't written by a lawyer. This is to make it much easier to truly give your wishes effect.

But you should be aware that not all states permit holographic wills. In these states, you are still permitted to hand write your will if you so desire, but they must be accompanied by all the formalities required by the law of that state.

If they are permitted in your states, a holographic will can be a good option, in some cases. If you do not have a considerable amount of money and property that you want to pass on, and your devises are going to be very simple (regular gifts to just a few people), a holographic will can suffice. However, you should seek the advice of a lawyer beforehand, and know that it is almost always a better option to have a will accompanied by all the required formalities.

How Can A Syracuse, Utah Lawyer Help?

Because there are specific formalities which must be followed in drafting wills, it's always a good idea to seek the assistance of a Syracuse, Utah attorney in drafting your will. Even if your will is going to be very simple, and you have the formalities all figured out, mistakes can be made.