Avoiding Conflict Between Heirs

When there are several potential heirs who may be included in a will, conflict may easily erupt if there is any confusion or dispute over the will. To ensure that your assets are divided according to your wishes, it is best to have a clearly defined will that cannot be contested later. An estate planning lawyer can help you set up your will and ensure that it has been written with sufficient detail to avoid legal problems when the will is probated.

First and foremost, having a written will is your best defense against having your assets divided up in a way that you would disapprove of. Once you have written your will, you may want to keep the original, signed copy somewhere safe, such as in a safe deposit box. You may choose to keep copies in other places in case the original is somehow destroyed. This prevents potential heirs from contesting the validity of your will later on.

If you believe that your will is going to be controversial, it is certainly a good idea to safeguard it against forgery or fraud attempts. However, keeping your will a complete secret may not be wise. If no one knows that you have created a will, you risk having your assets divided according to state intestacy laws instead of according to your will. Even if you do not wish to show your will to anyone, you may want to inform trusted family members or friends of its existence and give them the contact information for your lawyer so that your will can be probated appropriately. All of these measures can help prevent heir conflict by ensuring that a valid written will is created and its existence is known.

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While there is no guarantee that conflict between your beneficiaries will be entirely prevented, an estate planning lawyer can help you draft a will that is in compliance with Texas laws so that you have control over the future of your estate. For more information on drafting and probating wills, please contact the experienced Austin estate planning lawyers of Slater, Kennon & Pugh LLP today at 512-338-1100.