{"id":217,"date":"2015-03-25T16:50:12","date_gmt":"2015-03-25T16:50:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/?p=217"},"modified":"2023-02-01T04:55:07","modified_gmt":"2023-02-01T04:55:07","slug":"8-tips-to-ensure-your-will-goes-your-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/8-tips-to-ensure-your-will-goes-your-way\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Tips to Ensure Your Will Goes Your Way"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s a sad fact of life that money often brings out the worst in people\u2014and that the biggest offenders tend to be family members. While no one likes to think about dying and loved ones carrying on without us, a little planning and communication can go a long way towards ensuring your final wishes are executed properly and peacefully.<\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 372px;\">\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 123.387097% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" data-src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/200267685-001?et=Y-6fwlBfTbBvQHoS8dn__g&amp;sig=GeujfKicBMgqtULqLBjgunx02mG26kYjcBpaWqzxJG8=\" width=\"372\" height=\"459\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0 0 0 10px; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/200267685-001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">View image<\/a> | <a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gettyimages.com<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A Last Will and Testament is a good starting point for estate planning, because it can clearly communicate the who, how, and when of your property distribution. More importantly, a valid Last Will and Testament is the <i>only<\/i> way to gift property to the beneficiaries <i>you<\/i> choose.<\/p>\n<p>While an estimated 99% of wills are never challenged, there are four reasons that are legal cause for contesting a will:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Invalid Execution<\/span><\/b> \u2013 Each state has specific laws that dictate <i>how <\/i>a will must be signed. Lack of valid execution is the top reason for contesting a will and for finding a will to be invalid.<\/li>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lack of \u201cTestamentary Capacity\u201d<\/span><\/b> \u2013 The Testator failed to understand the value of his\/her assets, who should inherit them, and the legal consequences of signing a will.<\/li>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Undue Influence<\/span><\/b> \u2013 It\u2019s possible to prove someone unduly pressured the Testator to sign a will that goes against his\/her wishes.<\/li>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Fraud <\/span><\/b>\u2013 For example, the Testator was tricked into signing the will.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>All four reasons are difficult and costly to prove. However, regardless of the odds, there\u2019s always a chance someone may contest your last wishes. To squelch that possibility, consider doing the following today:<\/p>\n<p><b>The 8 Best Strategic Tips to Ensure Your Will Goes Your Way<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Include a No-Contest Clause<\/span><\/b> \u2013 A no-contest clause says that if any heir challenges the will\u2019s validity and loses, he\/she will inherit nothing. Alternatively, it can provide that the challenger\u2019s inheritance will be given to charity.<\/li>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Require Mediation or Arbitration<\/span><\/b> \u2013 Prevent a rush to sue and encourage people to settle differences by stating in your will that any disagreement must first be addressed by mediation or arbitration.<\/li>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Appoint a Private or Corporate Fiduciary<\/span><\/b><b> <\/b>\u2013 Bolster your will by naming an impartial third party to oversee it and to protect all involved.<\/li>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Have a Family Meeting<\/span><\/b> \u2013 Talking with your kids about who will be receiving what from the trust or estate can be a great way to \u201creveal all\u201d upfront and prevent surprises.<\/li>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Obtain a Certificate of Independent Review<\/span><\/b> \u2013 This is useful for bequeathing something to a non-family member, such as an unrelated caregiver. An attorney creates the Certificate after interviewing you to determine why you\u2019re so appreciative of the individual and want him\/her to receive a part of your estate.<\/li>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Keep Interested Parties Outside the Room when the Will is Written <\/span><\/b>\u2013 If possible, meet alone with your attorney when writing your will. This will help deter accusations that anyone influenced your gifting decisions.<\/li>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Videotape Your Wishes<\/span><\/b><b> <\/b>\u2013 This can help convince heirs the will reflects your final wishes, serve as a personal way of communicating those wishes, and provide closure for survivors.<\/li>\n<li><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Name Anyone You\u2019re Cutting Out<\/span><\/b><b> <\/b>\u2013 While it\u2019s legal to leave a child or spouse nothing, saying so prevents confusion regarding your intent. Specifically, provide the person(s) name and identity, and <i>state<\/i> that you\u2019ve chosen not to leave them a bequest.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>In short, the best strategy for avoiding a will contest is demonstrating clarity about your intent and your capacity to form that intent when your will was signed.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/office-maps.html\">An experienced estate planning attorney can help you achieve both<\/a>\u2014and ensure your wishes are carried out exactly as desired.<\/p>\n<style id=\"zemanta-big-images-style\"><!-- .wp-caption {position:relative;margin:0 0 15px 0 !important;padding:0 !important;max-width:100% !important;}.wp-caption img {border:none;width:100% !important;margin:0 !important;padding:0 !important;}.wp-caption .wp-caption-text {font-family:'Source Sans Pro',Helvetica,sans-serif !important;text-align:left !important;-moz-box-sizing:border-box;box-sizing:border-box;color:#fff !important;font-size:22px !important;padding:20px !important;margin:0 !important;background:rgba(0,0,0,.6) !important;position:absolute !important;bottom:0;width:100% !important;line-height:1.5 !important;} --><\/style>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s a sad fact of life that money often brings out the worst in people\u2014and that the biggest offenders tend to be family members. While no one likes to think about dying and loved ones carrying on without us, a little planning and communication can go a long way towards ensuring your final wishes are&#8230;  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/8-tips-to-ensure-your-will-goes-your-way\/\" class=\"more-link\" title=\"Read 8 Tips to Ensure Your Will Goes Your Way\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,112,113],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-estate-planning","category-will-contest","category-wills"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=217"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":496,"href":"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217\/revisions\/496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.estatetrustlawyer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}