Whether or not you need a trust depends on your individual circumstances and goals. Trusts can offer additional benefits and flexibility in estate planning, such as privacy, asset protection, and the ability to avoid probate. However, setting up a trust can be a complex process that often requires the expertise of an experienced attorney. We recommend consulting with a professional to determine if a trust is the right option for you. In the meantime, creating a will on wills.com provides immediate protection and ensures your wishes are legally documented. You can always revisit and update your estate plan to include a trust in the future if needed.

Wills.com offers significant benefits for genealogy enthusiasts. By creating a state-specific legal will on our platform, individuals can document and preserve important family information, such as lineage, relationships, and inheritance details. This valuable resource can serve as a historical record for future generations, providing insights into family history and genealogy. Additionally, our secure digital storage solutions, such as Vaultly, enable users to safely store and share relevant documents and records, further enhancing the genealogical research process.

At Wills.com, we understand the importance of ensuring your complete satisfaction before requesting payment. You will only be asked to make a payment after you have carefully proofread your will and are fully satisfied with the state-specific legal document we have helped you create. The payment process will be initiated when you are ready to execute your will by signing it.

Yes, having a will in place can make the loss of a family member easier in certain ways. A will serves as a testament to the deceased's care and consideration for their loved ones. By outlining their last wishes and stipulating the distribution of assets and gifts in a legally binding document, a will provides clarity and guidance during a difficult time. It helps alleviate some of the burdens and potential conflicts that can arise when there is no clear plan in place. A will ensures that the deceased's intentions are respected and can bring a sense of peace and closure to the grieving process.

Coping with the loss of a loved one involves self-care, processing your grief, and making necessary arrangements such as funerals and obtaining legal proof of death. During this difficult time, Wills.com is here to guide you through the complexities of settling the estate and managing other important legal affairs.

You can read more here about dealing with grief here

Some people don't want to probate a will. There is no requirement that a will or property go through probate, but if the decedent owned property that is not arranged specifically to avoid probate, there is no way for the beneficiaries to obtain legal ownership without it. There are some exceptions to this. Florida law allows a family to own property in a decedent's name if they continue to pay taxes and do not sell it.

Yes, an executor can witness a will – as long as they are not also a beneficiary of your will.

No – if a beneficiary, or their spouse or civil partner, witnesses a will, they forfeit their right to their share of the estate.

You should refuse to witness a will if:

• The person signing is not the testator
• You don't think the testator has the mental capacity
• You think the testator is being coerced into signing the will
• You know that you are a beneficiary under the will or you're the spouse or civil partner of a beneficiary.

If you're uncomfortable in any way about the circumstances you should refuse.

A witness doesn't have any ongoing legal responsibilities once they've signed the will. The only time they might be called upon again is if there is a challenge to the validity of the will after the testator has died. 

If someone claims that the signature is forged, or that the testator was either pressured into signing or didn't have the mental capacity to sign, the witness' testimony could be vital. They may be asked to sign an affidavit to confirm the circumstances in which the will was signed.

Many estate planning lawyers will tell you that a last will and testament, usually created by a married couple, is generally a bad idea. This doesn't mean married couples don't have wills, but rather that they should have separate wills, not a joint will. If you have minor children, it can be best to create separate documents that leave your assets to each other and then name the other as executor of your estate.

A last will and testament is a legal document that will in all likelihood be needed at some point in your life. A last will and testament is often called a "last will," "final will," or "death will." While many people presume that joint wills for married couples are cheaper and easier to create than two separate wills, this is simply not true for many reasons, including the fact that courts may look down on joint wills made by married couples when one of them outlives the other because joint wills can put extra strain on surviving spouses who are also trying to settle their own affairs.

Also please read: Is getting a joint will a good idea?

 A joint will is a single will that's signed by two people, usually a married couple, leaving all their assets to each other. Seems simple and sensible–but it's almost always a bad idea.

More information on Joint wills can be found here: 

At Wills.com, we understand the importance of ensuring your complete satisfaction before requesting payment. You will only be asked to make a payment after you have carefully proofread your will and are fully satisfied with the state-specific legal document we have helped you create. The payment process will be initiated when you are ready to execute your will by signing it.

Yes, having a will in place can make the loss of a family member easier in certain ways. A will serves as a testament to the deceased's care and consideration for their loved ones. By outlining their last wishes and stipulating the distribution of assets and gifts in a legally binding document, a will provides clarity and guidance during a difficult time. It helps alleviate some of the burdens and potential conflicts that can arise when there is no clear plan in place. A will ensures that the deceased's intentions are respected and can bring a sense of peace and closure to the grieving process.

No, it is not necessary to hire a lawyer in the US to create your will online. At Wills.com, we provide step-by-step guidance to help you complete an affordable state-specific legal will for $75. Our platform offers a user-friendly interface, comprehensive instructions, and any necessary support at no additional charge. We are dedicated to your success and strive to make the will creation process accessible and affordable compared to hiring an attorney.

A trust is a legal arrangement in which a person, known as the grantor, transfers their assets to a trustee to be managed for the benefit of one or more beneficiaries. The trustee holds and administers the assets according to the terms specified in the trust document. Trusts are commonly used for various purposes, such as asset protection, estate planning, managing financial affairs, and providing for the needs of beneficiaries. They offer flexibility, privacy, and the ability to avoid probate, making them a popular tool in comprehensive estate planning.

A will stipulates the following:

* Names a personal representative (and a back-up)

* Names a guardian for your children (and a back-up)

* Creates a plan for your pets

* Dictates the distribution of your assets and property

* Decides how debts should be paid

A beneficiary whose maiden name has changed can prove their identity by producing a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or affidavit. Once the court sees appropriate documentation, it can distribute the funds, property, or other assets to the desired beneficiary.

Some states allow a will registry to be created at the courthouse, so you may try inquiring at the local probate court whether they maintain such a registry. Other locations to look at include a safety deposit box (this may require a court order if you didn't sign the signature card), under mattresses, between book pages, car glove boxes or trunks, or other private safes. If you don't know the attorney who drafted the will, you might look for old checks made out to attorneys or legal firms. You can also ask friends of the deceased who may have acted as witnesses whether or not there was mention of where the will was kept or the attorney involved. An address book may be a good resource for people to contact. If the Testator used an online service you way want to contact these.

No – A person might make a will many decades before it comes into effect, so it's entirely possible that one, or both, of the witnesses, die before the testator. This doesn't invalidate it in any way.