Wills

Wills are used to direct the disposition of a decedent's Probate Estate , and to name the person to be in charge of it (the "Personal Representative"). Wills can contain specific gifts of cash, real estate or other property. Parents of minor children designate guardians in their Wills. It is common for Wills to include provisions for trusts, generally either for children or for potential estate tax savings.

A Will does not always control what happens to property upon death. There are many other ways to arrange for transfers on death (beneficiary designations, P.O.D accounts, transfer on death deeds etc.) and estate planning involves advising clients on all the options and helping them choose the best ones. Parents who create trusts for their children usually write the rules for these trusts into their Wills, and in this case it is essential to ensure titles and beneficiary designations properly direct property into the trusts.

Creating a valid Will requires careful adherence to state law. It is important to have an attorney prepare a Will in order to ensure its validity and to ensure the person creating it understands how it fits into their overall estate plan.