Important considerations when drafting a Will

There are many considerations a person should consider when deciding what to put into their Last Will and Testament.

Personal Representative. Who would you like to appoint as your Personal Representative?
This is not an easy job, especially when someone is in mourning over losing a family member or friend. The PR will do several things after you pass including: setting up your funeral, putting out notice to collectors, gathering your assets, filing paperwork with the court, closing the estate, etc. Either you or your PR can always hire an attorney to handle collecting and closing the estate.

Tangible item list. I have seen more families fight in court over sentimental items compared to high-value assets. One of the reasons for this is because most people identify who gets which expensive assets in their Will. But many people don’t take the time to go through the homes and identify who should inherit the little things like family heirlooms or bible, inexpensive knick knacks or furniture, or that old truck in the driveway. Once your Will is complete, you should always do a walk-through of your home, storage unit, garage/shed, etc. and write a list of identifying who will get which items, including pictures is always helpful too!

Sharing your Will. Make sure someone you trust knows where to locate your original Will. Another option is to send a copy of your Will to everyone that is named in it (your Beneficiaries) if your comfortable sharing your wishes with them. Your family/friends will have to go through a formal court process to probate your estate if they cannot locate your Will.