When a loved one passes away, the events that follow are typically charged with anxiety and emotion. This can be particularly true when it comes to handling the estate, as even the closest of families can experience friction over the contents of a will. Luckily, there are a number of steps you can take during your estate planning process to minimize the risk of disagreements among your beneficiaries. Below are a few tips that will help.

How Can You Help Your Beneficiaries Avoid Will Disputes?

1. Create an Estate Plan 

It’s never too soon to meet with an attorney and put together an estate plan. In fact, it’s preferable to write your will when you are still relatively young and healthy. In addition to providing clear instructions about your assets should something unexpected happen, it will help avoid any suggestion that you were not of sound mind when the will was created. 

2. Choose Your Executor

The person you select to be your executor should be a trustworthy individual who you believe will be able to fulfill the job’s required duties and fairly mitigate arguments over your assets. Typically, it’s best to choose someone who is not a beneficiary or heir, such as a close friend or estate planning attorney. They will be able to remain objective, and your heirs will be more likely to trust a neutral third party.

3. Determine Ownership of Personal Assets

Often, people focus solely on the assets that have the most value when writing their will, such as real estate, cars, and retirement accounts. While these are important elements to address, it’s also essential to include personal items like jewelry, artwork, pieces of furniture, and stamp collections. While these assets may not be as valuable from a monetary standpoint, they most likely hold sentimental value for your loved ones. If you do not make it clear who these items should go to, arguments can easily arise.

4. Update Your Will Regularly

Contrary to popular belief, estate planning is not a one-and-done task. As you move through life and experience different milestones, your will must be modified to reflect your current life circumstances. Significant events such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child or grandchild, and out-of-state moves are just a few reasons to review your estate documents and update them accordingly. If you don’t, your assets could fall into the wrong hands when you pass away and cause conflict among beneficiaries. 

If you need a qualified lawyer to help ensure your will is clearly written, get in touch with J.P. Coleman Law, LLC, Attorneys at Law in Metairie, LA. The firm has extensive estate planning experience and will eliminate uncertainty to make sure your final wishes are respected. Visit their website to learn more and call (251) 947-6247 to schedule a consultation today.