While many residents of Tallahassee may have a notion that they should create a will, some might wonder what specifically they should include in such a document.
Floridians are free to get somewhat creative in what goes or does not go into their wills, but they at a minimum have to make sure that their will follows the legal requirements of this state.
Really, it is best for a Tallahassee resident who wants to write a will to consult with an estate planning attorney, as that attorney can make sure that the person’s will is legally valid and can also give advice about what a person should and should not put in a will. The attorney can tailor this advice to the person’s specific financial and personal situation.
Still, it may be helpful for a person to have a few general pointers as to what they should consider including in their wills. Basically, the idea is to create a very clear path as to where a person’s property is going to go when they die and also to give alternatives in case the original plan is no longer workable.
As such, a person drafting a will is going to want to select carefully an executor of the estate and also clearly and specifically name the beneficiaries in the will, giving alternate beneficiaries in case the intended ones are, for whatever reason, unable to accept the inheritance.
A well-written will should also explain how the executor should pay off debts and taxes and may also give more specific instructions about how to handle a person’s business interests or individual pieces of personal property, like the furniture or motor vehicles.