A holographic will is a fancy name for a will that is written entirely by hand and is signed only by the testator. There are no witnesses who have signed the will. Although some states treat holographic wills the same as any other will, they are not given legal effect in Illinois. If you have a holographic will, it…
People are advised to make sure that they have a will when they die to protect their families. Sometimes, people can be too vigilant and have two wills. They may not have revoked an old will when they made a change. Lawyers tell you to change your will when major life events occur, but people may end up with…
A will is a binding legal document that is carried out according to its exact terms. If you do not amend a will when it is necessary, you may be stuck with old provisions that are still effective. However, you need to properly amend your will in order for the changes to be applied. First, you need to have…
Drafting a will is something that people put off for many reasons, not the least of which is that they do not want to deal with some of the thorny issues involved. However, the cost of not having a will can be something that your loved ones have to bear when you are not here. Accordingly, “now” is always…
One of the common reasons for will contests is that an interested party will claim that the testator did not have the mental capacity to sign the will. This launches an inquiry into what their mental state was at the time. Testamentary capacity in Illinois involves the following. Knowledge of the extent and nature of their property Their relationship…
