Help how do i go about writing a will?

[huntermellow]

i want to write a will mainly so my family know i want to be cremated and for my ashes to be used in the way i want them to, so they aren't allowed to have any objections since it's a legal document. but how do i write one for free and without the need for a lawyer? i'm sure there's online ones but will i also need witnesses to sign my will? there's also some specific personal belongings that i want to go to certain people and i was just thinking of putting them in boxes with the addresses and telling my sister in an email that these are the people i want my things to go to. but will i have to put that in my will as well? i'm only 20 after all so i have no children to pass on my things to and i doubt my family will keep everything. idc what they do with my clothes and everything else, i just want those specific things to be gifted to specific people.

 

[pain6batch9]

Will they follow your instructions if you write them carefully in a letter? I haven't even thought about this yet. I was thinking they would just deal with it all…

 

[huntermellow]

Will they follow your instructions if you write them carefully in a letter? I haven't even thought about this yet. I was thinking they would just deal with it all…

since it's a will it has to be followed right? i think my sister will definitely follow my instructions in the email i write to her. i just worry about my parents objecting me wanting to be cremated since it's against their religion but i don't have a religion but they don't know that…

 

[pain6batch9]

since it's a will it has to be followed right? i think my sister will definitely follow my instructions in the email i write to her. i just worry about my parents objecting me wanting to be cremated since it's against their religion but i don't have a religion but they don't know that…

Ah I see. The answer might be on a legal site someplace. I know you can buy a 'kit' from some stationary stores that show you how to write them. Not sure if they're actually legal though.

 

[Thisisme373]

You need it to be legal for it to strictly have to be followed. If you just write it down you'd just have to hope they respect your wishes. I also need to do a will but I'm too depressed to look into it all.

 

[huntermellow]

You need it to be legal for it to strictly have to be followed. If you just write it down you'd just have to hope they respect your wishes. I also need to do a will but I'm too depressed to look into it all.

how do i make sure it's legal? do i have to get it looked at by a lawyer

 

[Throwawaysoul]

not sure about posting links, but google freewill, i did it. but if youre in the us i think it needs "notarized" to be legal. dunno.

 

[huntermellow]

i want to write a will mainly so my family know i want to be cremated and for my ashes to be used in the way i want them to, so they aren't allowed to have any objections since it's a legal document. but how do i write one for free and without the need for a lawyer? i'm sure there's online ones but will i also need witnesses to sign my will? there's also some specific personal belongings that i want to go to certain people and i was just thinking of putting them in boxes with the addresses and telling my sister in an email that these are the people i want my things to go to. but will i have to put that in my will as well? i'm only 20 after all so i have no children to pass on my things to and i doubt my family will keep everything. idc what they do with my clothes and everything else, i just want those specific things to be gifted to specific people.

okay so all i have to do for it to be legal is i have to be of sound mind and memory so i know what i'm writing and signing (check) and not be coerced by anyone into doing it (check) and be over 18 (check) and write out my will (check) and have it signed by two witnesses (pending). i don't need it to be seen by a lawyer. i looked at a template for writing it and just copied the necessary parts and have it drafted in my notes

 

[pain6batch9]

okay so all i have to do for it to be legal is i have to be of sound mind and memory so i know what i'm writing and signing (check) and not be coerced by anyone into doing it (check) and be over 18 (check) and write out my will (check) and have it signed by two witnesses (pending). i don't need it to be seen by a lawyer. i looked at a template for writing it and just copied the necessary parts and have it drafted in my notes

Thanks for this.

Maybe write down the names of the witnesses on the actual document too.

 

[huntermellow]

Thanks for this.

Maybe write down the names of the witnesses on the actual document too.

yess that's what i'm gonna do. i have a list of people who i want my ashes to go to and i've written their names and contact details and addresses of the ones i know and wrote down who my specific personal belongings will go to and who my executor will be. then all i need is to date it and sign it and get it signed. the witnesses have to be over 18 ofc and can't be beneficiaries of the will or related to me i don't think

 

[nihilistic_dragon]

how do i make sure it's legal? do i have to get it looked at by a lawyer

Google "living will". Depending on where you live, the requirements will differ.

 

[Tesha]

It depends where you live. Some countries do require it to contain certain wording, otherwise it can be challenged. So while you probably won't need a lawyer, you will need the correct wording for the country you're in and your / the witness signatures to be done properly.

 

[pain6batch9]

yess that's what i'm gonna do. i have a list of people who i want my ashes to go to and i've written their names and contact details and addresses of the ones i know and wrote down who my specific personal belongings will go to and who my executor will be. then all i need is to date it and sign it and get it signed. the witnesses have to be over 18 ofc and can't be beneficiaries of the will or related to me i don't think

I like that you've thought about all this. I hadn't considered any of it before. I had a vague sense of what 'might' happen after 'd-day', so to speak. I figured people might be sad and things. But what you've done here is highlight the practicalities of the aftermath. I was never really big on possessions, so nothing I have is sentimental other than a few keepsakes I've collected. Most of my gear is rubbish you buy in the supermarket. I suppose the most interesting things would be my personal documents, which I assumed would simply be destroyed and my writings which would be deleted if I never managed to publish them. My teddy bears would go to charity. Anyway, thank you, this totally drew an important issue to my attention…

 

[huntermellow]

It depends where you live. Some countries do require it to contain certain wording, otherwise it can be challenged. So while you probably won't need a lawyer, you will need the correct wording for the country you're in and your / the witness signatures to be done properly.

do you know if the uk requires that it contains certain wording? when i look up what it needs to be legal it just says i need to be of sound mind and over 18 and have it signed by two witnesses who are also over 18 and aren't my beneficiaries

 

[huntermellow]

I like that you've thought about all this. I hadn't considered any of it before. I had a vague sense of what 'might' happen after 'd-day', so to speak. I figured people might be sad and things. But what you've done here is highlight the practicalities of the aftermath. I was never really big on possessions, so nothing I have is sentimental other than a few keepsakes I've collected. Most of my gear is rubbish you buy in the supermarket. I suppose the most interesting things would be my personal documents, which I assumed would simply be destroyed and my writings which would be deleted if I never managed to publish them. My teddy bears would go to charity. Anyway, thank you, this totally drew an important issue to my attention…

no problem!! i only have a few things i actually consider special like my manga or albums and plushies and figurines so those are the things i want to give to certain people. i think i also want to give my clothes away to them that they either said they liked in the past or i think they would wear

 

[ham and potatoes]

i want to write a will mainly so my family know i want to be cremated and for my ashes to be used in the way i want them to, so they aren't allowed to have any objections since it's a legal document. but how do i write one for free and without the need for a lawyer?

So, a couple things here. A will is for what happens to your assets and estate once your dead. It's legally binding. Things like what you want done after your death with your body should be done in a separate "final wishes" type thing, as the will is for "property" and your body isn't that
So, it really depends on the laws of where you live. Where I live, you have a couple options for writing a will, and all of them can be free.
1- you can type it out, and have you signing it witnessed and signed off by 2 people who are preferably not beneficiarys in the will.
2. You can complete handwrite your will and sigh it. It's called a holographic will.
So look up the laws of your state/province or wherever you live

Google "living will". Depending on where you live, the requirements will differ.

Living wills are for your wishes on medical care if you are unresponsive. Aka, do not resitate, life support, stuff like that

 

[huntermellow]

So, a couple things here. A will is for what happens to your assets and estate once your dead. It's legally binding. Things like what you want done after your death with your body should be done in a separate "final wishes" type thing, as the will is for "property" and your body isn't that
So, it really depends on the laws of where you live. Where I live, you have a couple options for writing a will, and all of them can be free.
1- you can type it out, and have you signing it witnessed and signed off by 2 people who are preferably not beneficiarys in the will.
2. You can complete handwrite your will and sigh it. It's called a holographic will.
So look up the laws of your state/province or wherever you live

Living wills are for your wishes on medical care if you are unresponsive. Aka, do not resitate, life support, stuff like that

how would i make sure me saying i want to be cremated is legally binding and my family can't go against it? i was hoping i could write it in my will since it's a legal document and i'm in the uk and was going to put my sister as my executor and i'm sure she would respect my wishes even if my parents were against it

 

[ham and potatoes]

how would i make sure me saying i want to be cremated is legally binding and my family can't go against it? i was hoping i could write it in my will since it's a legal document and i'm in the uk and was going to put my sister as my executor and i'm sure she wou

ld respect my wishes even if my parents were against it

Ah, I'm in the US, so I'm not certain about uk laws on wills. here, I don't think burial wishes are legally binding, and from a quick Google search, it kinda seems that way in the UK as well...
Here's a couple links that may be of help. If you do list your sister as executior of your estate, I would think she would have the final say in what happens.
I'm not a lawyer, just an internet stranger trying to help.
https://www.gov.uk/make-will

https://www.howellslegal.co.uk/news/post/should-you-include-your-funeral-wishes-in-your-will
Also, I would include in your will " that I am writing this will freely, and of sound mind"

 

[Thisisme373]

how do i make sure it's legal? do i have to get it looked at by a lawyer

I'm not entirely sure tbh, I think you need a witness and solicitor, I need to do one myself but I'm too depressed to sort it all