Making a will

Making a will helps you feel in control. In it you can specify the disposition of your property and personal possessions exactly as you wish. Your family or other people or issues you care about will be looked after as you plan. You may find it upsetting to do this, but you'll also find a sense of completion and relief that your affairs are settled the way you want them to be.

Your will is a legal document and should be properly prepared. An attorney who specializes in estate and probate law will know the precise wording to pass on your wishes and ensure they are carried out exactly as you want. Without an attorney, your will could be found unclear and might cause delays and unnecessary legal expenses later on.

These are some of the steps you might like to take:

• Make a will (or update your will, if you have already made one).
• If you have children under 18, discuss arrangements for their future with your partner, and appoint guardians, in the event that you both die.
• List the whereabouts of important documents (e.g. the title deeds of your house) and details of such things as your bank account, insurance premiums.
• List the people who should be informed of your death (e.g. your attorney, if you have one, or anyone who has been named as executor of your will; your employer).
• Some people like to make plans for their own funeral, or say whether they would prefer cremation or burial.
• It may be that there are everyday tasks you have always done that you should note down, so that there is some record of, for example, where you got the car serviced, how to turn the central heating boiler on, or how to use the washing machine.

Please contact us if you have questions or need more information. HendlerLaw represents individuals who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Call us 24 hours a day at 1-800-443-6353 or e-mail us at help@mesothelioma-advice.com.