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Wills & Beneficiaries
Definition & Resources
Definitions
Codicil:
A legal document that changes an earlier will.
Estate
Everything you own - house, bank accounts, investment portfolios, life insurance, personal property and retirement plans.
What is probate?
Any property that is transferred by will is subject to probate, which is the legal process of verifying your will through the courts. Probate can be slow and costly.
What is probate continued
That's why many people choose to create a living trust to convey most of their property to their loved ones. Forming a living trust makes sense for just about everyone, but it's important to realize that it does not prevent probate - it only speeds up the probate process.  You still need a will that names an executor for your estate and a guardian for any minor children. All wills must go through probate. Period.
Resources
 Wills
 
What Is The Difference: Wills & Living Trusts - If you are like many people, you probably wonder about the differences between a will and a living trust, and whether you need one or the other, or both.
Covers everything from "To Do, Or Not To Do-It Yourself, Disposition of  property with or without a will, the probate process, 
Trust  basics, Simple Living Trust, Comparing Simple Living Trusts and Wills,  Disposition of Property Outside Probate, Tax Issues, Other Elements  of Estate Planning, Using Life Insurance in Estate Planning, Specialized Trusts and Estate Planning Tools and Preserving Your Estate With Long Term Care Insurance (LTC).
 
Ethical wills: preserving your legacy of values for your family  - From Beyond Indigo: Most people have done nothing to preserve and distribute the most valuable things they possess: their values, ideas, personal reflections, and blessings family members deserve to know about. Writing an ethical will is an excellent way to do this.
 
Getting your estate in order: A will provides a way -From CNBC 50 ways to settle your estate.  State legislatures have enacted a series of laws that govern estates and those with no valid will. You might assume that if you are married and have no children, your spouse gets everything.  Guess again!
 
Making a No-Frills Will - From Nolo.law  We've all been told that if we do nothing else to take care of our "legal affairs," we should write a will. That's pretty good advice. If you don't make a will before your death, state law will determine who gets your property (and it may well not be whom you would have chosen), and a judge may decide who will raise your children. In your will, you can make these decisions yourself.  How to tell when a simple will is all you need.
 
Make-a-Will Quiz - From CNBC - Before taking this on as a do-it-yourself project, try our quiz to make sure you're ready.
 
The legal requirements for drafting a valid will aren't nearly as complicated as many people fear. There are just a few simple rules; follow them and you'll leave a will that you can rely on to make sure your wishes will be carried out.
 
What You Can't Do in Your Will - From Nolo.law Wills aren't the place to handle certain kinds of property or issues. Wills are wonderful, simple, inexpensive ways to address many people's estate planning needs. But they can't do it all. Here are some things you shouldn't expect to accomplish in your will.
 

Wills - Legal Information - From Nolo.law  Though most Americans are aware that they need a will, the majority-- about 70% of us -- don't have one. People procrastinate for many reasons, but it's important to know that writing a will doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. And once it's done, you can rest a little easier, knowing that your wishes will be followed after your death.

Will Q&A - From CNBC
Executors Responsibilties
 
Executors FAQ -- From Nolo.law
Answers to your questions about executors, including how to choose one & what they do.
Preparation
Children
 
Choosing a Guardian for Your Children -  - From Nolo.law Use your will to name a personal guardian for your children, to raise them in the highly unlikely event you can't. If you have young children, you've probably thought about who would raise them if you and the other parent die or are unable to fulfill your parental responsibilities for some other reason. It's not an easy thing to consider. But you can make some simple arrangements now that will allay some of your fears, knowing that in the highly unlikely event you can't raise your kids, they will be well cared for.
 
Property
 
Disposition of Property, With or Without a Will - From Nolo.law
  • A.  Overview.
  • B.  Do I need a Will?
  • C.  The simple, reciprocal Will.
  • D.  No special format or "magic words" are required for a valid Will.
  • E.  Community property.
  • F.  Life Estates.
  •  
    Leaving Property to Young Children  - From Nolo.law When you make your will, you should arrange for someone to manage any property you leave to young children.
     
    Special Property Rules for Married People  -  From Nolo.law  Be sure you know what property is yours to leave in your will.
     
    Updating Your Will
     
    Disinheriting Family Members - From Nolo.law  What you need to know if you're thinking of disinheriting a spouse, child or other relative. It's easy to disinherit anyone other than your spouse or a child. The rule is very simple: anyone not mentioned in your will won't inherit any of your property. But rules for spouses and children are somewhat more complex
    Tools

    Create a will  - From CNBC-Even if you decide to use an attorney, creating a will on your own can help you to decide what you want your will to say. Will-writing software makes the grade

    Net Worth Calculation Worksheet

    Will writing software
    The venerable Nolo Press  offers a wide variety of helpful estate-planning infor-mation on its Web site, where you can also purchase books and WillMaker 6.0, the latest version of Nolo's will-writing soft-ware. Read about then at above Nolo Press site.

    Email Webmaster ~ Jean E. Miller