About Me

The ABCs of Dealing With Domestic Violence

Domestic violence was a part of my family's life for years. When I made the decision to leave with my children, I had to rely on the law to provide the protection we needed. Sometimes, the system does not work as fast as we want. I soon learned that going at it alone without any guidance caused significant delays. I created this blog to help others who are seeking legal means to deal with an abusive ex. By making the right moves, it is possible to get the necessary protections in place so that you can also live a happier and healthier life.

Search

Latest Posts

The ABCs of Dealing With Domestic Violence

Time to Plan Your Will? 4 Tips to Avoid Having It Contested

by Gina Hill

Now that you've reached retirement age, it's time to start thinking about your future. Part of that future includes estate planning. You might not want to think about your estate right when you're about to embark on a life away from work and responsibilities. However, this is the time when you need to have your final plans in order. One of the most important parts of your estate is your last will and testament. This is the document that will determine how all your assets will be divided among your family members. While you're planning your will, you want to make sure that you make it as iron-clad as possible. Taking a few precautionary steps will help prevent the possibility that someone will contest your will. Here are four tips that remove the threat of a contested will.

Get Your Family Involved

If you have close family members, it's important that you get them involved in the process. Sitting down to discuss your will as a family will help you discuss problems that might arise once you've passed away. This is also the time for you to explain any decisions that your family might not understand. Open communication during the creation of your will can prevent serious problems later.

Use a No-Contest Clause

If you're concerned that someone might contest the will, make it beneficial for them to refrain. While creating your will, talk to your attorney about implementing a no-contest clause. With a no-contest clause, the contesting family member will forfeit their portion of the estate should they contest the will and lose. For the no-contest clause to work, however, you need to leave something of value to each family member. This ensures that each person has something of value to lose by contesting the will.

Assure Your Competency

If you're worried that a family member will question your competency once you're gone, ask your attorney to assure your competency before you sign your will. To assure your competency, you can schedule a visit with your medical doctor. Once your doctor determines that you are of sound mind, you can include the medical statement with your will.

Record the Signing

If your family is spread out across the country – or the world – and you want to make sure that they don't contest your signature, ask your attorney to make a video recording of the actual signing. Once the video has been made, it can be filed away with your will.

Now that it's time to plan your estate, don't take chances with your will. The tips provided here will help ensure that your will isn't contested after you pass away. For help planning your estate, be sure to sit down with a family attorney near you. For more information, contact a business such as Nelson, McPherson Summers & Santos LC.

Share