For a will to be considered valid and enforceable, it must first meet a wide range of requirements. These requirements are designed to help protect people and their assets from those who would hope to defraud them. If you are concerned about your own will and its validity, you may want to talk to a Woodland Hills will attorney.
How do I know if my will is valid and enforceable in California?
There are a few things that a will needs in order to be considered valid and enforceable in the state of California. A will needs to be:
- In writing
- Known to be a will
- Signed by the testator, the person making the will, or someone legally allowed to operate on their behalf
- Witnessed by people who know that they are at a will signing
Why is a Will So Important?
A will helps determine what will happen to your estate after you pass away. It is one of the most important, and earliest, steps in estate planning.
Your will can make everything clear and reduce conflict when there is money or real estate to be passed down. When someone dies without a will, it can create a lot of work for living family members and friends. The lack of a will can even cause fights and fallout between those who knew the deceased.
Writing a will can help you account for all of your assets and pass on the things you value to your loved ones. Your will can include traditional assets like real estate or the money that you have in your bank account, but it can also include belongings that have a lot of sentimental value.
So a will is not just something needed by rich people. It is an important legal document for anyone with any last wishes or possessions that they want to pass down to others.
Can I Write My Own Will?
Technically you can write your own will. However, writing a will on your own can get quite difficult, especially if you have many different assets to manage and different people you want to leave things to.
An issue is that simple typos or mistakes in the writing of your will can end up causing major problems. A will that is not properly written could just end up causing more stress for your family and loved ones in an already difficult time.
You also might run into issues because you did not completely adhere to the legal requirements listed above. You need to follow California law to the letter or a will could be deemed invalid.
Consult a Woodland Hills Estate Planning Attorney
If you have anything that you want to leave behind for your loved ones, do not tackle the complex estate planning process on your own. The Law Offices of Yacoba Ann Feldman can help you write and execute a legally binding will that can meet the standards of the state of California.
