Making a Will
Making a Will
Your will should be a flexible document, so that if circumstances change through the death of
an executor or a beneficiary or the disposal of a particular item of property, it is not necessary to change your will. These problems can be easily avoided by the appointment of more than one executor.
- • having substitutional beneficiaries
- • making general as opposed to specific bequests. e.g. Don’t say; “I leave my house at 52 Dollis Road to my son.” Far better to say; “I leave my main residence at the date of my death to my son.”
- • name of person making it (“the testator”)
- • details of executors
- • testamentary guardians if appropriate
- • any directions as to your funeral
- • specific gifts
- • who is to receive your residuary estate (“residuary beneficiaries”)
- • substitutional beneficiaries
- • trust provisions for minor beneficiaries
- • signature of testator and witnesses