If you have come to a point where you are ready to create your will, then you want to make sure you have a good understanding of everything that is involved with the process, as well as other information that will help you to get through the process easier. Here is a little guide to help you through the process of creating your will:

What does a will need in order for it to be considered legal?

The last thing you want to have happen is to go through the entire process of creating your will just to have it not hold up after you are gone and there is nothing you can do to correct the issues. This can leave the people in your life in bad situations where they are ending up without the things that you wanted them to have; the things that you counted on them having.

In order for a will to be deemed legal it will have to have been signed by at least two separate witnesses. The witnesses who sign the will must have physically watched you while you also signed the will. The witnesses don't necessarily need to read the will though, simply signing it will be sufficient. In most states, it will be important to make sure that both of your witnesses are also people who aren't named in your will as a party who will be in a position of inheriting anything. You must also date and sign the will yourself, in front of those aforementioned witnesses.

You may be surprised to learn that a will doesn't need to be notarized in order for it to be considered valid. However, you can add an extra level of validity to it by doing so anyway. This can help things move along just in case there were to be any questions regarding the will once you have passed away.

What do you do with your will?

Many people assume that a will has to be filed with a courthouse or another entity, but this is not the case. Although, there are some states that do allow you to record it if you should choose to do so. Once you have all the necessary signatures, you just want to make sure that you are keeping the will in a very safe place, such as in your safe. You also want to make sure that the person deemed to be the one in charge of settling your affairs knows where the will is located.

Should you have a lawyer help with your will?

Yes, it is a very good idea for you to have a will attorney help you with your will. This is going to be the best way for you to know that everything is worded in a way that leaves no room for argument or misunderstandings.