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As well, if you have children, you can Probate
leave instructions on who will be left Probate is the legal process that trans-
in charge of them if you pass, leaving fers the legal title of property from the
that decision out of the courts hands. estate of the deceased to their ben-
Making a will is easy, you just need to eficiaries. During the probate pro-
be at least 18 years of age and must cess the executor of your will goes
be of sound mind when the will is writ- before the courts and indentifies and
ten. To make a will legal it must: catalogs all the property you owned,
appraises the property, and pays all
• Expressly state that it is your will debts and taxes, proves that the will
• Be computer generated. is valid and legal, and distributes the
• Be signed and dated property according to the instructions
• Be signed by 2-3 witnesses, these of the will. Probate can be a long,
witnesses must be people who don’t drawn-out legal process, and there
stand to inherit anything in the will. are some probate-avoidance plans in
place. Simply speak to your attorney
Although you do not need a notary or to find out what you can do to avoid
lawyer to complete a will, it is recom- probate in your area.
mended to do one with a notary or a
lawyer, as it will avoid any legal head- Executors
aches after your passing. Once your An executor is the personal represent-
will is complete, it’s recommended ative of your estate. They are the per-
that it is kept somewhere safe and se- son in charge of taking control of your
cure outside of your home. If you do assets, paying off any debts, and dis-
your will through a lawyer, most law tributing assets to your beneficiaries
firms will store it for you free of charge. per the terms and conditions of your
Many people keep their wills in a safe- will. You can choose anyone to be the
ty deposit box at a bank, but this is not executor of your will, but it is a good
recommended as the contents could idea to choose someone who is both
be sealed at the time of death. The ex- competent and trustworthy. The per-
ecutor of your will should be aware of son you choose to be executor should
the location of it. be outlined in your will. Someone you
appoint to be the executor of your will
has the right to refuse, so you should
have a backup executor in place just
in case.
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