Wills are very complicated documents and carry great weight and consequences with them. When written, these documents are contested and in their absence, wealth is likely to be fought for. Taking into account these two possibilities, the only way to ensure your will prevails eventually is to write a robust will detailing how you would want things done.
Such a will should be able to capture all your wishes and communicate them effectively. The will should also have a tamper proof proper efficient and effective execution method. This is the only will that can guarantee your wishes in the long run.
Writing such a will is not an easy thing though. In fact, there are people who never write or even figure out how to write a will until very late in life. This is a big mistake since death can occur at any time and when it does, it brings with it some controversies.
These contests can go on for so long and unless there is something that can be done to bring order, problems might persist. This possibility should highlight the essence of having a will in place always just in case of such a thing. While a will is important though, it is not just any will can do but rather one that is written correctly as shown above.
Wills Should Be Clear
The worst thing you can ever do to your family is writing a will that is not clear. Such a will, will definitely be contested especially by those people who feel aggrieved by it. Thus, it is very important to try as much as possible to write a will that communicates all your wishes clearly.
To do this well, you need to be aware of those things that you must never put in your will to make it clear. Where necessary try and enlist the services of an expert to help you out with the process. Someone who has ever written a will before will surely provide you with some guidance on what to do to avoid ending up with a gray will.
Errors to Avoid When Writing a Will
Writing a will is by no means an easy thing. The whole idea of contemplating how to share your wealth when you are gone and how you wish to have other wishes kept is unsettling. This process in itself brings into reality the idea of death which many people fear contemplating.
Nonetheless, the reality and essence of having a will overrides the fear of writing one. As such, anyone who cares for his people and their order after he is gone should have a well written will to be read later on. Writing such a will successfully though requires that one avoids some damaging mistakes like the ones below.
Not Having Any Will At All
This should be regarded as the biggest mistake ever and one which must be avoided at all costs. It falls on this list for the simple reason of enlightening you on the essence of having a will. This unfortunately is a mistake people have made and it has ended up costing them a lot.
There are two main reasons that account for this mistake. One of them is the fact that some people think they are too young to write a will. The second reason is the issue of wealth where some people tend to imagine that they have very little wealth to merit any will.
The truth of the matter is, none of the excuses provided above really matter that much and should not be given for not having a will. Instead, everyone should try to have that essential document that details how they wish to have their interests taken care of once they are gone.
Not Having an Idea of What Might Override a Will
Before you write a will you need to understand that there are quite a number of things that can easily override your will. These things vary depending on the person, his wealth and the number of beneficiaries. If you are a joint account holder for instance, that can easily override what you state in your will.
There are many other scenarios that can result in your will and its contents being overlooked. These scenarios should all be looked into before anyone writes any will. The probability of ending up in any should be well assessed and due advice given.
To handle this matter better, look for a person with adequate experience in finances and will writing. Let the person guide you through every process involved and assist you in getting the right details to paper.
Not Updating Your Will Documents
Circumstances can change and that is supposed to be shown in your will too. For instance, you can be married now with children then divorce or maybe lose a child who is your main beneficiary. Such cases highlight the essence of always updating your will to ensure that any new details and events in your life are well captured and your will prevails over them.
If you fail to do this which is what some people do then chances are you might leave behind a big dispute. Sometimes though not proven some of these disputes normally result in the strong having their way even in cases where they are not the main beneficiaries.
Not Naming an Executor in Your Will
The success of your will taking care of your interests lies in so many things. One of them is your executor who you must carefully choose to read and execute your will once you are gone. For this purpose, pick someone you know very well, who is trustworthy, strong enough and reliable.
Final Thoughts
A will is a document that carries so much weight. As such, it must be carefully written to result in the most efficient communication. Avoiding some mistakes while writing this document can serve this goal perfectly well.
