Content Overview 
- Summary
- What If I Want To Write My Will Myself?
- What You Can And Cannot Do In A Will
- How To Locate An Attorney To Write Your Will
- What Is A Will?
- Does My Existing Will Need To Be Updated?
- What If I Die Without A Will? (Intestate)
- How Much Does It Cost To Prepare A Will?
- What Makes A Will Valid?
- What If I Want To Leave Money Or Another Asset To A Minor?
- Legal Consequences Of Various Forms Of Ownership
- What If My Debts Exceed My Assets?
- What To Do If You Write Your Will Yourself
- What To Do If Personal Property Is Left To Be Divided
- What Should I Do About OnLine Accounts?
- Should I Speak With My Heirs About What Is In My Will?
- What Should I Do After I Execute A Will?
Wills 101
What Should I Do After I Execute A Will?
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Where To Store Your Will
People tend to store a Will in a safe deposit box. However, safe deposit boxes are sealed upon death and generally require a court procedure before they can be opened.
If you store the original of your Will with the lawyer who helped with it:
- The document will be safe.
- The document will be available immediately.
If no lawyer was involved, consider storing your will in a fireproof box in your home.
No matter where your Will is stored, let the person who will be responsible to carrying out the terms of the Will know where it is stored.
Updates
Check your Will periodically to be sure it is up-to-date and continues to reflect your wishes. Make a note in your calendar to review your Will at least once a year.
If you want to make a change, you don't have to rewrite the entire Will. You can make the change by an amendment known as a "Codicil." A Codicil needs to be executed with the same procedure as required for the proper execution of a Will.
Revocation
A Will can be revoked at any time.
You can revoke a Will by destroying it, or by revoking it in writing. For example, when a lawyer drafts a Will, there is usually a provision in it that all previous wills are revoked.
To avoid confusion, destroy the original of the old one when you write a new will. (NOTE: If there is a question about your mental capacity to write a new will, you can keep the old will and state in your new will that if there is a problem, the old will will govern. That way you won't die without a will if a challenge to the new will is successful.)