A Beginner’s Guide To Writing A Will

Writing a will is an important part of life. We all want to ensure that our loved ones are taken care of after we pass, and a will is the best way to do that. The stress of losing a loved one is difficult on everyone but one thing that can make it easier is if the individual has a will in place.

When someone passes, having to sort through belongings and divide them out can be painful and stressful, so make sure your will has all the correct details in it. Anyone above the age of 18 can write a will and they should in no way be rushed. If you are thinking of writing your will soon, but you are unsure where to start, then here is our beginners guide that will explain everything you need to know.

Establish Assets And Beneficiaries

One of the first things you need to do to start the process is make two lists. Your assets should make up one of the lists, which included things like property, savings, jewellery, and any other belongings that you wish to pass down. Listing all of your assets can and should take time, so make sure you do not rush yourself in order to prevent you missing anything out. The next list should include all of the beneficiaries of your estate. A beneficiary is a person who is named in your will as someone who will be given something after you pass. So, for example, one of your assets could be your home and the beneficiary of that asset could be your child. When establishing your assets, it would be a good idea to get the assets valued, so that you know the full amount of your estate.

Divide Up Your Estate

The next step in writing your will, is to divide up your estate. Once you have got a comprehensive list of your assets, the value of your assets, and your beneficiaries, then you can start to divide it out. You may find that if you have a big family, you will have a lot of beneficiaries. This can sometimes make it difficult to divide up your estate as you may be worried about doing it fairly and not leaving people out.

While it is understandable that this may be a difficult process, you need to remember that it is your last will and testament and that you must write it the way you want it to be written and not listen to outside opinions. The division of assets has caused issues within families before, which is why it is important not to rush yourself.

Writing The Will

While writing a will can sometimes be simple, if you are unsure what you are doing or you have a big estate, then it could be wise to use a professional will writing service, so you know you are doing it the right way. ELM Legal Services offers an online will service, so they can help you through the whole process, without the stress of having to travel to a legal office. There is a lot of specific terminology and legal jargon that can come into writing a will, which is why getting professional help and advice is usually a good way to go. It will be helpful to get non-bias help from a professional as sometimes getting help from family members can lead to arguments about the division of assets.

Choose An Executor For Your Will

The next thing you need to do is choose an executor for your will. The executor is the person who will ensure your wishes are carried out after you pass. This is an important role, so you must ensure you choose someone who is responsible and someone you trust to carry out your will. Often people will choose a close family member or a friend they trust to be an executor. If you decide to go down this route, then it would be a good idea to name more than one executor, just in case the person

you choose passes before you. While this may not be an issue for you, if you are worried about it, then it perhaps would be a better option to appoint a solicitor or a lawyer to be your executor.

The Final Step

Once you have completed your will, it would be a good idea to run through it again just to double-check that you are happy with it. Perhaps look over the two lists that you made and ensure you have included all the things listed. Then, to finalise everything, you will need to sign your will in the presence of two witnesses in order to make it official. It is important to note, however, that your witnesses must be independent, i.e., not beneficiaries of your will. Once the will has been signed and witnessed, your will is complete.

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