What to Include in Your Will?
Your Will should confirm how you want your estate to be distributed after your death. It should also say who you want to act as your executors, and who should be appointed as legal guardians for your children.
The contents of your Will
When you make a Will, there are various things you must include. Some of this information is fairly straightforward, although it must be completely accurately to ensure your Will is valid. For example, your Will must contain:
- Your name and address
- A revocation clause, which states you revoke any previously made Wills
- Your signature
- The signature of two witnesses
- The date you and your witnesses signed the Will
- An attestation clause, confirming that the creation of your Will meets the legal requirements
The other details, however, are very specific to you and your wishes. You need to decide exactly how you want your estate to be distributed and dealt with after your death. More precisely, you will need to set out:
- Your legacies
- Your residuary beneficiaries
- Legal guardians for your children
- Names of your executors
- Any other wishes
Your legacies
The over-arching purpose of a Will is to ensure the correct people benefit from your estate when you die. If you want, you can leave particular possessions or gifts to specific people. These are known as legacies. For instance, you could leave a painting to your niece or a lump sum of money to your favourite charity.
Your residuary beneficiaries
You should then decide who you want to inherit the remainder of your estate, once any legacies, debts and funeral expenses have been paid. These people are called your residuary beneficiaries.
The residuary clause in your Will confirms who should receive your residuary estate, and in what proportions. So, you might make your spouse the sole beneficiary. Or, you might ask that everything is divided equally between your children.
You should also prepare for any unforeseen events, most notably, what should happen if one of your beneficiary’s pre-deceases you.
Legal guardians for your children
If you have children under the age of 18, it is prudent to name legal guardians for them. These people will be tasked with their upbringing, should you and the other parent die before they reach adulthood.
Names of your executors
Your executors will administer your estate after your death. This is a big responsibility and can involve a lot of work, especially if Probate is needed. You should therefore name one or more executors who are willing and able to accept the role. This can be friends, family members or professionals, such as a solicitor or accountant.
Other wishes
If you have any other wishes, such as funeral wishes, you can detail these in your Will. For example, you might prefer to be cremated rather than buried.
Make a Will Ireland
Writing a Will sounds like a daunting task, but in actual fact, it is incredibly easy – especially with the professional guidance of our solicitors. We can explain what you need to include in your Will. Once you have carefully considered your choices, we can draft a watertight legal document that reflects your wishes.
To make a Will, please contact us Mullins & Treacy LLP Solicitors. We are client focused and results driven.
Call us on 051 391 488 or email reception@mullinstreacy.ie for a no obligation enquiry.
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