A lot of the pitfalls that plague wills and estate plans in Vinton, Virginia, such as contests by beneficiaries who think they got the short end, could have been avoided if the will had been better-drafted in the first place.

If your estate does not have a huge amount of assets, your assets are limited to cash and personal belongings, and you wish to leave all your property to your immediate family and friends, the process of drafting your will is likely to be fairly simple.

But be warned: even a comparatively simple will can encounter delays in the drafting process, which can cause problems later on. An experienced Vinton, Virginia lawyer will considerably 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 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 especially, you should know that a will must contain a provision stating that the person making it is of sound mind, and actually intends the document to be a will. Also, the laws of most states require that wills be witnessed and signed by at least 2 neutral parties.

Holographic Wills in Vinton, Virginia

In some states, testators are allowed 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.

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

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

If your estate is fairly small, and the devises you wish to make aren't very difficult, 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 Vinton, Virginia Lawyer Help?

Because there are certain formalities which must be followed in drafting wills, it's always a good idea to seek the guidance of a Vinton, Virginia 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.