Five Items to Consider When Planning Your Will

When you are creating an estate plan, the help of an experienced Peoria estate planning attorney can be invaluable. Every estate is different, as is every family. As a result, “one size fits all” estate plans rarely provide the focused assistance you need.

When planning your will, however, there are several points you may need to consider:

+This list provides an introduction to the questions you should think about when making a will.

  1. Who should be my personal representative? Your personal representative carries out the instructions in your will and wraps up the final business of your estate.
  2. Who should serve as guardian of my children? If you have no children, or all your children are over age 18 and do not need guardianship, a guardian may not be needed. If you have pets, you may also want to make provisions for their care.
  3. How do I want my estate to handle its debts and taxes? Speaking to an attorney and a financial professional can help you handle these matters most effectively.
  4. Do I want to leave particular items to certain family members or friends? If so, make a list of each item and the person to whom you wish to leave the item.
  5. Do I have particular wishes about my funeral or burial? You will want to leave these in your estate plan.

Helpful Pages:

Your attorney can provide a more detailed list and help you ensure that your wishes are met in your will and other estate planning documents.

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About the Author

Zachary Mushkatel discovered his affinity for the law by chance. As a political science major at the University of Arizona, he first aspired to become a professor. But an unexpected invitation to participate on a mock trial team at the university encouraged him to turn his competitive spirit and drive…