Sign Will - Do not sign will until you have read all the detail
How To Sign Your Will So That It’s Legal and Binding (In Probate Court)
Okay, so you got your will successfully typed out on the right form. Now, all you need to do is sign it. Of course, you should never sign a will until you’ve read everything, have all the witnesses you need and a Notary Public as well.
Why It’s Important To Follow The Legal Requirements To Sign Your Will
It’s very important that you follow the legal requirements of signing your will, as any deviation from it can cause it to become invalid. The requirements are not hard to follow but you must do so in a precise manner. These legal requirements are what make your will more than just a piece of paper that lays out what you want. It turns it into a legal piece of paper that will grant power to take care of your property under court order once you pass on.
There are two reasons you should follow the formality of this document:
1 – By following it, the testator will hopefully realize the significance of what he/she is doing.
2 – By requiring adult witnesses to sign the document, it keeps the possibility of fraud, forgery or coercion from occurring or minimizing it.
How To Execute Your Will To Make It Legal In A Court Of Law
It’s highly important to follow these legal formalities. Thus, do not deviate from these legal requirements in no way fashion or form. When it’s formally executed, the will stands valid. Any improper signing of the will can cause it to become invalid. So how do you properly execute your will, be sure to follow these steps:
1 – You must choose three witnesses that can assist you in signing your will. These witnesses can be any person who is not mentioned in the will. They cannot be a beneficiary, executor, guardian or trustee. The witnesses may be friends, co-workers, neighbors or complete strangers. It’s important to choose people considered stable members of society since they could be called to testify in court one day.
2 – Be sure your witnesses meet you at the local Notary Public’s home or office. Several banks, government offices and real estate offices provide notary services and will be happy to help you. Bear in mind the Notary Public is not one of your three witnesses.
3 – In front of everybody, the following six things should be done in order.
A – You need to state, "This is my Last Will and Testament, which I am about to sign. I ask every one of you to witness my signature." Your witnesses do not need to know the will terms or need to read the will. All they must do is at this moment is hear you say that the will you are about to sign is yours and you requested that they be witnesses to your signing it and witness one another signing it as well.
B – Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to sign your name in ink on the will. Use a pen in the place the will has specified and write your name exactly how your will states your name. Sign your initials at the bottom of every page of the will right then.
C – Once you’ve signed it, pass the will to your first witness, who will need to sign it in the indicated place, making sure to fill in his/her address.
D – Once they’ve done this, the second witness will need to do the very same thing… sign it and place in his/her address.
E – After your second witness has signed it, the third (and final) witnesses must do the same thing as the other two witnesses. During this entire signing process, you and your witnesses must stick together, usually sitting at a table or desk.
F – Finally, the Notary Public will complete his/her signing to acknowledge the will, signing in the place you have specified. Once this is done, your will is now a legal and valid document. Thus, you can be sure your wishes are carried out like you want when the will is presented in probate court after your death.
Be sure you never sign a duplicate of your will. Once you’re executed your will the right way, make photocopies and label them as "copies".
For more details about legal advices and information, go to Free Legal Forms site, and you can find a lot of information such as how a living trust works that you would help you get your living trust prepared with or without estate planning lawyer.