| . |
Serving the legal needs
of Alabamians over 50
of Alabamians over 50
Any competent adult person can prepare a will. In Alabama, the will
must be signed by you and by two witnesses in order to be valid.
Also, most wills contain an additional paragraph and a Notary Public
signature which makes the will “self-proving”. There is no limit on
the size of the estate that you should have before you prepare a
will.
What is a Will?
A legal document that you prepare during your lifetime that
disposes of your assets at your death. If you have disabled
or minor children, you can also appoint a guardian for them in the
will.
Who is in charge of the will at my death?
You name a Personal Representative in the will who is responsible
for having your will probated. During the probate process, the
Personal Representative will collect your assets, pay any valid
debts and then distribute the remaining assets to the persons you
have chosen in the will.
Can I plan for disabled relatives in my will?
Assets can be left in a trust in the will to take care of disabled
children or other relatives. If these disabled persons are on SSI or
Medicaid, the trust must contain specific language so the disabled
person will not lose his/her government benefits.
Can I prepare my own will?
Legally you can, but as with all legal documents, it is much safer to
have the document prepared by a lawyer. Beware of using kits or
forms—you can end up with a document that will not be effective in
Alabama.
Where do I keep the will after it is signed?
Keep the original in a safe place where your Personal
Representative will know where it is and have easy access to it
at your death.
How often should I change my will?
You should review your will periodically to make sure that
everything in it is current. If there are major changes in your
life, such as divorce, death of a spouse or child, financial setbacks
or gains, you should have an attorney review the will.
must be signed by you and by two witnesses in order to be valid.
Also, most wills contain an additional paragraph and a Notary Public
signature which makes the will “self-proving”. There is no limit on
the size of the estate that you should have before you prepare a
will.
What is a Will?
A legal document that you prepare during your lifetime that
disposes of your assets at your death. If you have disabled
or minor children, you can also appoint a guardian for them in the
will.
Who is in charge of the will at my death?
You name a Personal Representative in the will who is responsible
for having your will probated. During the probate process, the
Personal Representative will collect your assets, pay any valid
debts and then distribute the remaining assets to the persons you
have chosen in the will.
Can I plan for disabled relatives in my will?
Assets can be left in a trust in the will to take care of disabled
children or other relatives. If these disabled persons are on SSI or
Medicaid, the trust must contain specific language so the disabled
person will not lose his/her government benefits.
Can I prepare my own will?
Legally you can, but as with all legal documents, it is much safer to
have the document prepared by a lawyer. Beware of using kits or
forms—you can end up with a document that will not be effective in
Alabama.
Where do I keep the will after it is signed?
Keep the original in a safe place where your Personal
Representative will know where it is and have easy access to it
at your death.
How often should I change my will?
You should review your will periodically to make sure that
everything in it is current. If there are major changes in your
life, such as divorce, death of a spouse or child, financial setbacks
or gains, you should have an attorney review the will.
| 256-536-9494 |
2306 Pansy Street SW
Huntsville, Alabama 35801
Huntsville, Alabama 35801
