Spotlight Article
What is a Will Caveat and How Can it be Avoided?
When individuals finally decide what they would like done with their assets at their death, they will usually consult with a lawyer who is familiar with will probate, estate planning, and other elder law issues. Once the final determinations have been made, usually after one or two conferences with the attorney and other professionals, the attorney typically prepares the will, using forms and formats that have been proven in the past to be appropriate and proper. The client then reviews the document and if he or she is satisfied, a very formal signing procedure is followed. First, the client reads the will and states that he or she is satisfied with its contents and that it carries out his or her intentions. That statement is then made in front of two impartial witnesses and a notary. The client then signs the will in the presence of the two witnesses and the notary. The two witnesses then sign the will in the presence of the client and the notary. Finally, the notary acknowledges those signatures in the appropriate format.
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