When does my will take effect?
by David M. Israel

A will can only take effect after the testator’s death. In other words, it can be written many years prior to death but it is only effective at the time of death. A testator is not restricted from dealing with assets listed in the will.  It is recommended, however, that the will should be reviewed every five to ten years to make appropriate revisions and to account for any changes in the testator’s assets. A will can be revoked at any time by tearing up and disposing of the original will or by signing a special document that revokes it.  It is important to keep in mind that a new will always revokes a previous will.

To contact the author, please email disrael@smhilaw.com

The information contained in this message is general and should not substitute for the advice and counsel of a licensed lawyer.