Regardless of how old you are, if you’re living in an assisted living facility or are just starting out in the workforce, it’s always wise to have a will created for you in the event that you die unexpectedly. However, creating a will isn’t something that you can just do by writing down a few thoughts and wishes on a piece of paper. To make sure that everything is done legally, you need to go about this process in the right way.
To help you in doing this, here are three tips for creating a will.
Can You Do This Yourself?
One of the first things that you’ll want to determine is if you want to put together your will by yourself. While you can handle everything to do with your will without the help of an attorney, you may find it easier to work with a professional when creating your will.
There are various tools available now that allow you to create a will without having to hire an attorney to help you. And while these can be great for people with very simple wills and few assets to account for, if there’s anything complicated in the will that you’re needing to create, it’s usually going to be best to hire an attorney to help you iron out all of the details and make sure that everything is done by the book.
Be Thoughtful About Naming An Executor
As you’re putting your will together, you’ll need to name an executor or two to take care of fulfilling the wishes and requirements in your will after you die.
When choosing the person that you want to be responsible for this, it’s wise to make your executor someone that you trust to follow your guidelines and make the decisions that you’d want to have made for your estate and possessions. Additionally, you should also consider choosing someone that’s younger than you so that the odds of them remaining in good enough health to fulfill their role are higher.
Don’t Forget To Update Your WIll As Needed
Even if you already have a will created, you’ll need to revisit your will regularly to ensure that everything is still relevant and up-to-date. As things change in your life, you’ll want to make sure that your will reflects this. Otherwise, you could wind up having things in your will that you didn’t actually want anymore as you go further into your life.
As a good rule of thumb, you should revisit and adjust your will every few years, when a major life event happens, or when something big changes in your life circumstances.
If you need to create a will soon, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you in going about this the right way.