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This article discusses
make will online - make my will tips.
First here are some points that are often neglected In in drawing up
wills:
• Does the will take full advantage of the marital deduction, which
allows a tax exemption of up to the full amount of the gross estate?
• How are death taxes to be allocated among beneficiaries?
• Have all insurance arrangements been considered in the will?
• Have safeguards been provided to ensure minimum double taxation of the
estate-once at the death of each spouse?
• Have proper provisions been made to establish who legally died first
in the event of apparent simultaneous death of both spouses? • Should
the executor of the estate have the power to run or dispose of your
business?
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Second, You need to make sure your will Is
valid?
Even if you have made a written will, it may not be accepted as a valid
one by the court for any of several reasons:
Handwritten. The statutes of many states hold that handwritten
(sometimes called "holographic") wills are invalid, unless they conform
to specific requirements.
Do-it-yourself. Many standard will forms obtainable from stationery
stores or books do not conform to the letter of the law, and are easily
contested and often declared invalid.
Out-of-state. Your will is administered according to the laws of your
domicile. If you have moved, be sure your will conforms to the laws of
your new state.
Improperly witnessed. Strict requirements are stipulated for witnesses
in many states.
Marriage, divorce, and children. In most states, marriage, divorce, and
the birth of children cause automatic revocation or alteration of part
or all of a will.
Modification of a will: After it has been properly prepared and
executed, it is not necessary to redraft the basic will to make changes
or updates. Changes are made in a separate document, or codicil,
appended to the will. However, the codicil must be executed with the
same formality as the will. Under no circumstances should you simply
cross out certain clauses in the will and insert changes.
Probate and priority of claim: No will is legal until the proper court
or official declares that it meets all statutory requirements. This act
is known as the decree of probate.
Once the will has been admitted to probate, several claims have priority
before any distribution can be made under the terms of the will. While
the exact order varies by state, they follow this general pattern:
1. Funeral expenses.
2. Administration. Fees due the court, attorneys, and others for
administering the estate.
3. Allowance to provide for the needs of the decedent's family while the
will is being administered.
4. U.S. Government. Any taxes and other claims due.
5. Expenses pertaining to last illness.
6. State, county, and local governments.
7. Wages due others.
8. Claims secured by liens.
9. All other debts.
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Any will or estate plan must take into
account the legal limits that govern the allocation of inherited
property. The principal ones:
Under the varying state laws, a widow has the right to a minimum portion
of her late husband's estate as dowry. A particular state's law may
specify, for example, 35 %. If the widow is left a smaller amount, she
can sue. Comparable rights to surviving husbands are called curtesy. In
a few states, minor children are allowed specified percentages of a
parent's estate.
An individual may have left property to persons who actually die before
he does. Or a beneficiary may refuse to accept a bequest for personal or
financial reasons. Unless the decedent makes provision for contingent or
successor beneficiaries, the property will go to the remainder man (the
person named to get what is left after all specific bequests have been
honored). This could leave the remainder man with far more than had been
intended.
The IRS can make a prior claim against an estate. If the deceased owed
back taxes, the IRS can attach the cash-surrender value of any insurance
policies on the decedent's life that he owned, or in which he had a
significant incident of ownership.
Source: Consumer Information Center
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