August 30, 2016

One of the primary reasons that most individuals consider putting together a will is because they have personal property they would like to bequeath to future beneficiaries. Unfortunately, this is not an easily done process unless you have the expertise of an estate planning attorney. 

The advent of do-it-yourself forms on the internet makes it tempting to seem as though you can accomplish this quickly in an hour or less but doing so could actually create further confusion for your loved ones and may even lead to your will being ruled invalid in future court hearings.

That’s why it’s better to take the time to set up an appointment with an estate planning attorney. When it comes to your personal property, one of the biggest challenges is frequently that you might change your mind. People might also choose to give away property during their lifetime that is outlined in the will, raising confusion and arguments between siblings or family members who may believe it was their right to have access.

One of the most successful ways to handle personal property is to put together a personal property distribution letter in the will. A personal property distribution letter allows clients to change their minds or to update a distribution list whenever they choose to without having to set up an additional meeting with an attorney. The will should also include a provision that if the beneficiaries are unable to agree on personal property distribution within five months of the loved one’s death, then the personal representative will step in to sell the property and split the cash. In many cases, this is enough to encourage compliance and working together. Meeting with an attorney to accomplish the process of personal property distribution through a will can be extremely valuable.