Having a will and testament is important, especially as we get older. However, if in the future your health declines, someone in the family may decide they want to change your will or contest it upon your death to get more from your estate. This is not something that often works, but, if you take steps now, you can prevent issues in the future.
Steps to Take to Protect Your Will While You Are Alive
Whether you are setting up a will now to make sure specific money is set aside for your grandchildren or to leave someone specifically out of your will, you need your will to be well-written. You want someone that fully understands the extent of the law to write up your will. This makes it stronger in the face of contesting. You also want to make sure that you prove you are fully competent when signing your will. Having a video taken of this process can go a long way towards proving your will is precisely how you want it.
Steps to Take to Protect Your Will Upon Your Death
To avoid someone contesting your will later on, you want to put in a clause that is called the terrorism clause, or the no-contest clause. This works if your estate is considerable, because then you can put in your will if anyone were to try and contest the will, they would lose out on anything set out for them specifically. If you were to take the time to prove your competence ahead of time and show that you signed your will without any outside influence, then adding in the no-contest clause is often enough to protect your estate.
Want Help Creating a Strong Will? Reach Out to Bell & Shaw Law Today
If you want to ensure that your will can withstand your future, then reach out to us here at Bell & Shaw Law today. We will help ensure that your will is safe and is not likely to ever withstand someone’s possible attempt to change or contest it later on. Contact us today and let us help.
