Your last will and testament is arguably the most important document within your estate plan. So if it is determined invalid and unenforceable by New York State law, your entire estate may fall apart at the seams. Continue reading to learn what information you need to include in your will and how an experienced Putnam County wills attorney at The Law Office of Andres D. Gil, PLLC can work to ensure no stone is left unturned.
What documents do I need to prepare for my will writing?
Rest assured, upon retaining the services of a seasoned wills attorney, you may receive a great deal of help with its preparation. However, you must take on the heavy lifting at the beginning and gather as many personal documents as you can track down. This is so your attorney may be equipped with the tools to tackle your draft productively. Without further ado, it is recommended that you prepare the following documents before stepping into your consultation:
- A list of your physical assets and digital assets.
- Documents related to the deeds to your property.
- Documents related to your mortgage loans.
- Documents related to your insurance policy.
- Documents related to your bank accounts.
- Documents related to your investment portfolios.
- Documents related to your funeral and burial arrangements.
With this, you may also want to list how your loved ones may access these documents upon your passing. For example, you may list the username, password, and answers to security questions for your bank accounts. Or, you may list the contact information for your accountant, banker, financial advisor, insurance agent, etc.
What pieces of information do I need to include in my will?
Also, before stepping into your consultation, it is in your best interest to already have an idea of the goal of your will. That is, you may want to have a general sense of the following pieces of information:
- You may want to know who you wish to disclose as executor and/or coexecutor to administer your money, properties, and/or personal belongings.
- You may want to know who you wish to disclose as beneficiaries of your money, properties, and/or personal belongings.
- You may want to know who you wish to disclose as guardian(s) over your minor children, dependent adults, and/or pets.
- You may want to know what personal assets (i.e., cash, real estate, collectible items, etc.) to distribute to which beneficiaries.
- You may want to know what digital assets (i.e., social media accounts, credit card accounts, subscription accounts, etc.) to distribute to which beneficiaries.
Before you even consider putting pen to paper, it is best to first consult with a skilled Putnam County estate planning attorney. So please contact us at The Law Office of Andres D. Gil, PLLC today.