Post Will Instructions to Clients
I send all my clients a Post Will letter to give them several important
reminders regarding the clients Will and things related to it. I am doing this
in order for them to have a permanent record and also that they may refer to
this letter from time to time in the future in order to refresh the clients
memory. Please be sure, therefore, to keep this letter with the clients copy of
their Will.
We have given the client the Original signed Will to take home. The client
should advise the Executors where the original Will is going to be stored.
Additionally, they should provide the Executor with our business card and
instruct the Executor to contact us prior to going to the Surrogates Office or
probating a Will. If they have a Living Will, please be sure to give a copy to
their doctor.
If they ever want to discuss the Will with me, I will be happy to do this
with the client at any time after scheduling an appointment.
I recommend that the client review the Will periodically in order to keep
it up-to date regarding changes in their family, their property, their wishes,
and the law. I suggest that approximately five (5) years from the present time,
the client contact my office and schedule an appointment again so that we can
review their Will together.
This periodic review program should not prevent the client from considering
the making of a change in their Will at any earlier date. Changes should be
made whenever the client believes such changes are necessary. A persons family,
property and wishes may change over the years and for these and other reasons
the client should re-examine their Will from time to time in order to make sure
that it will carry out their present wishes.
I caution the client against making any marks upon their original Will
because this can lead to a Will contest. If the client wants to make a change
in their Will, they should contact my office and we will either make a Codicil
(a short addition) to their Will or a new Will depending upon their needs and
wishes.
In the event that a death occurs in their family, may I suggest that the
client contact my office immediately in order to determine what, if anything,
must be done in order to settle that persons estate. I also suggest that the
client instruct their Executor and the members of their family to contact my
office immediately, in the event of their death, in order to determine what, if
anything, must be done to settle their estate.
We thank our clients for allowing our office to be of service.
We welcome additional business and accept referrals for:
1) Personal Injury- Car Accidents
2) Municipal Court, Traffic Tickets and DWI.
3) Wills, Power of Attorney, Living Wills and Estate Planning.
4) Criminal cases
5) Probate/ Administration of Estates
6) Injuries caused by Fall downs
7) Civil Litigation for cases over $10,000.
We recommend you pass my offices phone number to your family and friends
who do not have a current Will. Our Confidential Will Questionnaire is online
at
www.njlaws.com/will_Questionnaire.htm
Best regards,
KENNETH VERCAMMEN
Co-Chair American Bar Association Estate Planning & Probate Committee
Co-Author Nuts & Bolts of Elder Law & Estate
Administration for the NJ State Bar Associations Institute for Continuing Legal
Education
1 comment:
I don't know very much about what goes on with wills, and planning an estate. I wonder how many people make a will then don't look at it for a very long time, and forget to update it. It sounds like good advice to review the will from time to time.
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