Top 3 Mistakes People Make On Their Wills

Many people make errors when writing their will, but not having a will is possibly the biggest mistake. And having a will that is not done right might be just as bad. It can be uncomfortable for people to think about their mortality. But many find it empowering to have a say in the distribution of their assets. If you are about to start (or you already have one), avoid these top 3 mistakes people make on their wills.

Mistakes People Make On Their Will

AARP estimates that 60% of Americans don’t have a will. So, if you have a will, you’re doing better than many people. But you want to ensure you have a will that will actually do what you want and properly distribute your assets after you’re gone. A poorly written will causes confusion and allows for people to contest your will and fight over your assets. That’s not what you want. You want a will that is well-written and concise and ensures your wishes are followed after you have passed away. Therefore, you want to avoid these errors.

Top 3 mistakes people make on their wills:

1. Not working with an estate planning attorney. Just because your divorce lawyer says he can write your will, doesn’t mean you should allow it. You use a specialized attorney for a divorce, and you need one for writing your will. Estate planning is complicated and has many issues to navigate. You need someone to help ensure all other policies work together with your will.
2. Not updating your will. Too much happens in life to not update your will. You may get married, divorced, have children or lose a loved one who was a named beneficiary. You should update your will every 3-5 years. This ensures that you have considered all of life’s changes and added or removed assets bought or sold.
3. Your will is too vague. You often hear people want to ‘leave everything to their children and let the kids divey the assets equally among themselves.’ This is too vague and open for someone to contest the will, causing family anger and fights, and someone contesting your will. Exactly what you didn’t want to happen. In your will, you must be specific about distributing your assets.

We could also list procrastination, but that is a bad trait, not a mistake of your will. Don’t procrastinate and think you can write or update your will ‘later’ or ‘someday.’ Today is the perfect time to make an appointment with an experienced estate planning attorney.

Talk With an Oak Brook Estate Planning Attorney

Making a will doesn’t have to be complicated. An experienced estate and probate lawyer can guide you through the process so you don’t overlook anything. And you can be sure that your will complies with Illinois probate laws.

To talk to a probate, trust and estates attorney. Contact the Estate & Probate Legal Group at (630) 864-5835

AREAS WE SERVE: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and Will counties