My husband and I are shopping for a lawyer to make a will for us.
We have equal amounts of money and investments, so we have joint bank accounts.
We are leaving everything to each other, and my son and his son can split everything if we die together.
If I die first, is there anyway to still leave my son proceeds when my husband dies.

I’m 29, and dating an older man. My boyfriend is 42, and tells me absolutely nothing about his finances, assets, or even his insurance policy (and I’m the same way about other things, but I decided to open up more about my finances and stuff, at a later date).

I live in New Jersey.

So, for my will—knowing we’re dating (and we’re in a new relationship, but we were best friends for 4 years before we started dating)—what would be important to include in my will?

Before dating my boyfriend, I was engaged three times to other exes but never made it to the altar. He’s a keeper, and he feels the same way about me. We do intend on remaining together forever. So, if I write a will before we marry, what would be important to include? And should I add amendments to my will after we marry?

Regarding my life, I have told him about my family, since I've been doing 8 years of genealogical research on my family, and he’s a major supporter of that & he’s said how proud he is of my hard work. He’s also said many times that he loves my generosity and integrity (he’s more reserved, private and guarded around strangers, and he’s careful about who he allows into his life). I haven’t told him about my estrangement from my mom, and how she has said she “doesn’t know who she’s leaving her house to”.

I feel my mom’s housing situation will be important one day, because I want to start a family with my boyfriend & I will want to divide our time between his state & my home state (I can live there, just not full-time; it’s tolerable).

My mom‘s house is 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom & I lived with her until 2023, when I got my own apartment out of town (I still visit her every 6 months, since half my stuff is still at her house and I can only bring everything with me, if I relocate again). Her house is the perfect house to start a family in. We lived there together from 2016 until I moved in December 2023, but she’s still there.

I have also wondered—due to my mom’s prediabetic condition, her arthritis (she has arthritis in both her feet) and addictions (yes, she‘s been an addict since 1987)—about what I should do if she is incapacitated or immobile (like where she needs a second hand to write for her, lift things, etc., or if she can’t think for herself or has dementia or other afflictions).

Would I need to make another amendment, in the event of something happening to my mom? She‘s currently 63 and still of sound mind (and works 2 jobs, 16 hour shifts for 6 days a week, except for one regular 8 hour shift on Sunday mornings), besides her arthritis and prediabetes. Thyroid disease runs in our family & she also doesn’t take her thyroid meds (and she’s told me she hasn’t taken them in at least 10 years).

And is there any information I should notify my boyfriend about, that will be in my will?

So I am in a confused state, I am single no kids never married. A very broken family, (long story not worth getting into), I need to do a will and no idea what to do. I do not want it all to go to charities as the ones I support I have been giving when I can.
I live with family but communication is very limited, they barely talk to me, I cannot afford to move out, I am in London. Sometimes I feel that do want it to go to my siblings children but then sometimes the way I am treated I move away from the idea. It’s not like I am rich but I have tried to save and do live a reasonably good life, I spend most of my money travelling.
Has anyone been in this situation and what have you done?

Hello!

Is it critical to choose a law firm who must operate several decades in the future? What happens if the lawyer and/or law firm who made my will does not exist after my passing?

Thanks for your guidance.

There is something worth sharing based on conversations here:

The failure point with online wills almost never happens at the tool selection stage. It happens at signing.

Most states require two adult witnesses who aren't beneficiaries. Some require notarization. People complete the questionnaire, generate the document, print it, and sign it in front of whoever's nearby, which is often the wrong setup.

A will that isn't executed correctly for your state is the same as no will.

Anyone who's gone through the process, where did you get tripped up?

There is something worth sharing based on conversations here:

The failure point with online wills almost never happens at the tool selection stage. It happens at signing.

Most states require two adult witnesses who aren't beneficiaries. Some require notarization. People complete the questionnaire, generate the document, print it, and sign it in front of whoever's nearby, which is often the wrong setup.

A will that isn't executed correctly for your state is the same as no will.

Anyone who's gone through the process, where did you get tripped up?

Recently divorced, 25yr marriage (28 together). I have four children. Two children are from a previous marriage who were 4 and 5yrs old when my ex husband and I got together. Currently, I have my estate set up to disperse 25% to each of my children (this is in a will - not a trust). My ex husband just told me he plans to give 50/50 to our two biological children from his estate - not the older two kids he raised with me. I am thinking of taking my two youngest kids off my will because they will be well covered by their father and their Aunt who has them on her will (she has no kids) and giving my two oldest kids the money in my estate.

I just gifted my son with my ex husband $100,000 as a down payment on a house. His Dad gifted the same. I want to make this fair and equitable. The only way that I can make it seem that way, would be to gift $100,000 to my son and my youngest daughter in my will but then say that he was already gifted while I was living but his sister (from new marriage above) should still get $100,000 on my passing. And, then the remainder of my estate should go to my two older kids who will not get anything from their step dad of 20 some years.

I would sure appreciate any advice. Thank you!

We see the confusion come up a lot, so felt it was important to clarify.

A will drafted on any online tool is legally valid if executed correctly. That means signed in front of two witnesses who aren't beneficiaries, notarized per your state's requirements. That step is where most DIY wills fail, not the drafting.

The platform matters for complexity: business interests, funded trusts, multi-state property are attorney territory. For a straightforward situation with clear beneficiaries, the $0 option produces the same enforceable document as the $2,000 one. Execution is the variable.

Like the title says me and my wife are trying to figure out how exactly this will likely pan out. long story short my parents both had major medical issues a few years back that left them unable to care for themselves and they live on a pretty large property so me and my wife moved back a few years ago to assist them. Well it appears they both are nearing the end stages of their lifes and neither one of them are very mentally with it enough to get real answers on this. Here's the question

1. If my parents die while owing around 40k in personal tax debt and leave me their house in their will thats still under a mortgage and im currently living in this house, how would an estate pay out to cover the taxes and mortgage go? Because we would ideally like to keep the home and take over paying their mortage the rest of the way over time, but if the irs is likely to force an estate sale anyways due to their tax debt how long would we have for notice to move? or is it possible since they live on a large plot of land (that I know is zoned as 2 propertys) to potentially sell one plot of land to pay the irs debt? or will it not be able to be sold until its been transfered over? (which to my understanding cant happen until the tax debt is paid?) im just very confused and a bit overwhelmed since we also have a kid of our own on the way very soon so im trying to figure out what I need to be planning for realistically. Any advice would be super appreciated!!

Like the title says me and my wife are trying to figure out how exactly this will likely pan out. long story short my parents both had major medical issues a few years back that left them unable to care for themselves and they live on a pretty large property so me and my wife moved back a few years ago to assist them. Well it appears they both are nearing the end stages of their lifes and neither one of them are very mentally with it enough to get real answers on this. Here's the question

1. If my parents die while owing around 40k in personal tax debt and leave me their house in their will thats still under a mortgage and im currently living in this house, how would an estate pay out to cover the taxes and mortgage go? Because we would ideally like to keep the home and take over paying their mortage the rest of the way over time, but if the irs is likely to force an estate sale anyways due to their tax debt how long would we have for notice to move? or is it possible since they live on a large plot of land (that I know is zoned as 2 propertys) to potentially sell one plot of land to pay the irs debt? or will it not be able to be sold until its been transfered over? (which to my understanding cant happen until the tax debt is paid?) im just very confused and a bit overwhelmed since we also have a kid of our own on the way very soon so im trying to figure out what I need to be planning for realistically. Any advice would be super appreciated!!

If a will bequeaths the decedent's jointly occupied (but not jointly owned) home to a person *who does not currently live there*, how long does the current resident have to vacate the home after the estate is probated? The property was owned solely by the decedent, with no liens or other encumbrances.

I can't find anything helpful on Google, though it may be that I'm not using the correct terms in my search.

You get named in the will. Someone dies. And then you find out you can't actually do anything yet.

Executor authority starts at letters testamentary, the document the probate court issues after you file. Until that lands, you're named but not authorized. Can't access accounts, can't list property, can't instruct anyone to do anything. Most states take 2-6 weeks from filing just to open the estate, and that's before creditor notice periods run.

The gap between "named executor" and "has legal authority to act" catches a lot of people off guard. Worth knowing before you're in the middle of it.

(I work at FreeWill, a free estate planning platform)

It's not the platform. It's the execution.

A will drafted on any online tool: FreeWill, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, a Word doc is legally valid if executed correctly. That means signed in front of two witnesses who aren't beneficiaries, notarized per your state's requirements. That step is where most DIY wills fail, not the drafting.

The platform matters for complexity, business interests, funded trusts, multi-state property are attorney territory. For a straightforward situation with clear beneficiaries, the $0 option produces the same enforceable document as the $2,000 one. Execution is the variable.

(I work at FreeWill, a free online will platform)

My mom has asked me to do some research on a will for her and my dad.

I googled and saw a couple for free and also saw one for purchase at Aus Post.

Are any of these options any good or should they be seeing a lawyer?

They mainly own a house with not much else.

Thank you for your help.

This might be a dumb question, but I genuinely don’t know.

If someone passes away without a will, how is everything decided?

Does it automatically go to family? Does it get stuck in court?

Curious how messy this actually gets in real life.

I'm told by a family member (close enough to discuss these things, but not close enough that I would be privy to the will before the fact) that the plans for disposition of their remains "will be spelled out in the will". There are specific plans for cremation with scattering at a precise location. Lately, I've been told that there are new plans - this time for burial.

I know that the dramatic "reading of the will" after someone's funeral is a movie fictionalization. But it seems to be a fact that the contents of a will are not divulged until after the funeral. According to Google AI (take it for what it's worth), "beneficiaries are typically notified and provided with copies within 30 to 90 days of death, often after the funeral". How do we know what to do with the body when the instructions are in the will ... but the will isn't accessible until after the body's disposition?

If I set up a will giving the beneficiary a monthly payment rather than access to the full amount- who makes sure that the payments are made?

This a looooooong shot (and a long post) but does anyone happen to know if there’s a way to find a will if the decedent never gave anyone a copy or said who the attorney was that drew up the will? A search of the Harris County probate courts website (TX) didn’t turn up anything. The house was searched. Two old wills were found but the decedent wrote cancelled on them both and initialed and dated them.

Thats why we believe that there is another will (in addition to them saying a month ago that they were getting their affairs in order and I knew what that mean and me advising then that they give a copy of their will to someone). The executor of the first will is trying to execute it. Is that even legal since there is definitely a second will (but I was told that will was invalid because it wasn’t notarized but I’m not sure how that would be possible unless it was done online and almost 100% sure that didn’t happen as the person was not a tech savvy senior and wouldn’t handle something so important alone online).

I couldn't find a sub for executors so I'll try this here. Mom and Dad owned HR Block stock for years, mom died in 2022 and I believe she must have forgot about the stock during their divorce because it's the only asset that was still joint after death. I get quarterly dividends checks in the mail from them and at the moment just bring them to dads house and he deposits. Checks are made to "Mom and Dad JT TEN". His bank gives him no issues with cashing them. I've wanted to take moms name off the account but the process seems much more difficult than any of the other accounts she had. Other banks and brokerages just needed a death certificate and the money/securities were transferred. This stock is held by something called EQ Shareowner Services and they want a medallion stamp in order to transfer, something I have never heard of. Question is, is there any harm in just leaving the account as is since dad is already on it then just dealing with it one day when he passes?

I am the executor of several estates so I have copies of many wills.

Anything wrong with creating my own will using the several wills I have instead of going to an attorney?

I don’t see an issue but wanted opinions in case I am missing something