What to Think about When Changing Your Will
By: mgordon | Posted: 23rd April 2009
Making a will can be an emotionally challenging experience. It is one of those acts that incontrovertibly causes you to look a bit closer at your own mortality and consider what you want your final impact to be on a world without you. The fallout from a poorly or provocatively worded will can cause a huge amount of pain for those you love, and can lead to schisms that would cause you no small amount of heartache if you were to witness them. The importance of getting a will just right is all the more important because you cannot be called back to iron out any inconsistencies in the wording - or any omissions.
For these reasons it is important to make a will in some level of consultation with a person, or people, whom you trust. Even if these people are potential beneficiaries from your death, it will be invaluable to get their feedback on what will be the most important document you ever compile. If it is financially practical, it will also make a lot of sense to have your will looked over by a lawyer, or even make the will in collaboration with one. This will ensure that loopholes, if there are any, are spotted and corrected.
Another reason to ensure that you have the aid of a third party when making a will is that the time may come when you wish to change it. Whether this is to reflect the fact that someone new has entered your family since the will was made, or in the more unfortunate situation of removing someone from its proceeds, it is important to see to it that any changes made do not affect the details of the rest of the will. There have been so many disputes caused by inconsistencies in a person's last will and testament that it would make even the most generous benefactor think seriously about ensuring that they die destitute, with nothing to leave behind to cause contention.
Making changes to your will is not unusual. Such changes will reflect changing realities in your life, and profound changes occasioned by thinking about your death. A skillfully written will can mean that there is at least some good news left behind for those who will mourn you, while a will in which you are confident will give you a measure of peace of mind when you become aware that you are entering your final weeks.
Getting your document looked over by a lawyer is especially sensible in this respect. A lawyer with experience in wills will have seen every eventuality that can possibly occur in the aftermath of a testator's death. They will be able to point you in the right direction when it comes to dispensing with uncertainty. It may not be what you want to think about, but making things at least a little bit easier on those you leave behind will be a decent way of leaving this earth and will see to it that you are remembered fondly by those who knew you in life.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.
LegalBuffet.com is a complete online resource that compares the legal services offered by various online companies. Find the best company for your last will and testament needs at http://legalbuffet.com/wills-services-forms /.
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Tags: third party, consultation, heartache, collaboration, proceeds, contention, inconsistencies, lawyer, loopholes, last will and testament, will and testament, realities, mortality, beneficiaries, fallout, unfortunate situation