What You Need to Know Before Editing Your Will
What happens if you simply cross out part of your Will, write “VOID” above it, and initial the change?
The answer is more complicated, and riskier, than most people realize.
In this episode, estate planning attorney Jill Mastroianni explains why making handwritten changes to your estate planning documents can create confusion, trigger litigation, and ultimately change how your assets are distributed. Through two real Tennessee court cases, you'll learn why “just one little edit” can have consequences that last for years and why creating a fresh document is always the better solution.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why handwritten edits to estate planning documents can create expensive legal disputes.
The difference between modifying a healthcare advance directive and creating a new one.
Why clean, updated estate planning documents are easier for your loved ones, and medical providers, to rely on.
What happened in two Tennessee Court of Appeals cases involving handwritten changes to Wills.
How revoking one provision of a Will can unintentionally change who inherits your property.
What a residuary clause is and why it’s one of the most important provisions in a Will.
Why assets may pass through intestate succession even if you have a Will.
The risks of relying on DIY estate planning or making changes with a pen instead of updating your documents properly.
Resources & Links
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DIie_NLlXto
Free Healthcare Advance Directives: https://www.caringinfo.org/planning/advance-directives/by-state/
Related Podcast Episodes
How to Write Your Own Will (and Why You Shouldn't): https://www.deathreadiness.com/podcast/50
What Every Parent Needs to Know When Their Child Turns 18: https://www.deathreadiness.com/podcast/episode-22-what-every-parent-needs-to-know-when-their-child-turns-18
Tennessee Cases Discussed
In re Estate of Dye, 565 S.W.2d 219
In re Estate of Warren, 3 S.W.3d 493
Need to Update Your Tennessee Estate Plan? Learn more about Jill's flat-fee Tennessee estate planning services: https://www.deathreadiness.com/estate-planning-solution
Connect with Jill:
Website: DeathReadiness.com
Email: jill@deathreadiness.com
Learn more about Jill’s solutions
Subscribe to the Death Readiness Dispatch!
Ask a question for Tuesday Triage
Did you enjoy this episode? Share it with someone you care about.
