What Is a Last Will and Testament?
A last will and testament is a legal document that communicates a person's final wishes pertaining to their assets. It provides specific instructions about what to do with their possessions. It will indicate whether the deceased leaves them to another person, a group, or wishes to donate them to charity.
A last will and testament can also handle matters involving dependents, the management of accounts, and financial interests.
Some states allow for non-standard or unusual wills, such as a holographic will, while others do not.
What Shouldn't Be Included in a Will
- Property you hold jointly with someone else
- Funeral plans: these should be in a separate document easily accessible after death by family or executor
- Life insurance policies and retirement accounts: these should have beneficiaries designated on the account forms so they bypass probate and flow directly to the intended recipients
