Writing Your Own Will

The simplest, safest and most adequate method to distribute your personal wealth, property and assets as per your wishes is to draft and document a proper legal will. Majority of us have the habit of procrastinating the need of a well-written will although, we all know that in case of our unexpected death, a will can be a great support for the family.

How to Write Your Own Will
Writing your own living will ensures the future of your family members and you can be confident that you have done all that is necessary to make their life easier after you are no more in this world. A legal document, will can be written by any individual who is above 18 years of age and is mentally fit, that is to say, with a sound mind and memory.

There are some factors that have to be kept in mind before you start to write your own will. Firstly, you have to be aware about your state laws pertaining to your own will. You have to consult and involve an attorney in the entire process of preparing your will so that all legalities are followed. With the help of your attorney you can prepare a proper will. Further, the contents of a proper will must be as mentioned in the further paragraphs.

Title and First Paragraph: Begin writing by giving a title like, 'The Last Will of _____' or 'The Last Will and Testament of _____'. Include your name in the blank space. In the first paragraph, you have to mention that you possess a sound mental health and is under no external influence or stress to write your own will. It is your personal choice and whatever you are writing in the will is your sole wish.

The Second Paragraph: In this paragraph, you have to give information about your family members. If you are married, start with the name of your spouse and then mention the name(s) of your child/children, if you have any. In case your children are minors, you have to mention the name of guardians who will take care of your children until they attain the age of 18 years.

The Third Paragraph: In this part of your will, you have to assign the name of the person who will carry out the entire process of distributing your will, as stated in your will. This person is called executor who will manage everything after your death as per your wishes. You can also mention the ways as to how the executor is supposed to handle your financial affairs.

The Fourth Paragraph: Here you have to state all the beneficiaries and people you wish to give your property as per your wish. Mention the name of the person and what you think must be given to him as per your own wish. In this paragraph, you can include all your financial expectations. Mention all your requests properly with proper mention of the beneficiaries' name.

The Closing Paragraph: In the closing paragraph, you have to mention the name of the person or people who will get the residue of your property (if any). Residue is the property or money or assets that have not been named after any specific person in the will. Lastly, you will have to sign the document in the presence of at least two eye witnesses. The witnesses must not be any person whose name is mentioned in the will. You are not obliged to reveal the contents of your will to the eye witnesses. They are just a proof for the fact that whatever you have written in the will is your last wish. Further submit the will to an attorney and he will carry out the necessary steps to make it a legal document for the state you are living in.

Sample of a Simple Will

Here is an example of a living will written by a couple who own a house with good income levels, having two kids. This will sample will give you a good idea on how to write your own will.

A Sample Will Example

Last Will and Testament of (Name of the Person) I, Peter Clark, residing at Blue Hills road, Massachusetts, declare this to be my will, and I revoke any and all wills and codicils I previously made. I direct my executors to pay all my debts including funeral expenses, treatment costs till last illnesses and any other debts that I am obliged to pay as per legal rules. I give all my personal property and gratuity of insurance policies and other assets, to my wife, Tiffany. If she does not survive me, I give that property to my children. The property among the children is to be distributed equally by the executors and they have to seek consultation with the children. In case my children are minors at the time of my death, I direct my executors to give all the money and property to Tiffany. If under the circumstances of 30 days of my wife's death after my death, I appoint, my friend John to be the guardian of my minor children. My children will be under his custody and he will look after their financial transaction until they are above 18 years of age. In case John does not qualify for any reason to be the guardian or breaks the bond with my children, at his own wish, I appoint my cousin sister Sara to take custody of my children and handle all matters related to my children's financial transactions and monetary requirements. I have signed this document on 5th May, 2010. Legal Signature Signed and declared by Peter Clark on 5th May, 2010 under our presence, who at his request, in his presence and under our presence, signs this document to be true and we too have signed our name as witnesses. Witness 1:___________ Address:_____________ Witness 2:___________ Address:_____________

Writing your own will is not a very difficult task if you understand the necessary elements that must be included in your will. Before you write your own will, you must ensure that you have properly consulted an attorney or lawyer and you are aware about all your financial commitments and assets. While writing the will sample mentioned above, we included various parameters that a will contains. A will can be complex and lengthy depending on various requirements of the person writing the will.