Here's everything you need to know about will preparation and disputing or contesting wills.

Writing a Will

It is important to write a will, especially if you have a large estate; this ensures if anything happens to you, your family is left taken care of for as long as possible. Failure to write a will can destroy your family; disputes can arise, which can lead to stress and cruel or criminal behaviour. In some instances, you can even leave your family with large legal fees they might not be able to pay.

Find a will and estate lawyer who specialises in will writing and have them guide you. As the solicitor guides you, you will find that writing a will is not that easy; many considerations have to be made. For example, you need to think of the rights of your family and your business partners.

Your mental state is also evaluated to ensure that at the time of writing the will you are of sound mind. This is also why witnesses are required to sign the will; they ascertain that you were not coerced.

You are also required to indicate the will lawyer who is to be authorised to execute your will. No other lawyer can execute your will unless you have written their names in the will. When you are done writing your will, it is taken to a probate court to be validated and for the will executor lawyer to be authorised.

Disputing or Contesting a Will

Disputing or contesting a will is not something you may think of ever doing. However, when your loved one dies and you find out that someone coerced them to leave you out of a will, you may get quite angry, especially when you are still grieving.

Look for a will dispute lawyer. A contested will solicitor may require you to have a meeting with them to explain what you think happened. Expect to be asked a series of questions, which you should try to answer as truthfully and detailed as possible. The answers you give will help the lawyer win your dispute case; therefore, avoid lying or omitting any information, even if it sounds awkward or embarrassing.

The most common facts your will dispute solicitor will try to prove is that someone coerced the deceased, the deceased was of unsound mind at the time they were writing the will, or you deserve more than you are getting because of various factors like having a life-long illness.

For more information, contact a wills and estate solicitor today.