It recently came to my attention that television producers are developing two "reality" shows that deal with the distribution of a decedent's estate. The first, The Will, concerns a wealthy benefactor, still living, and the potential beneficiaries in his Will. As in the Survivor, there will be challenges and contests to determine who will be voted out and who will ultimately receive assets from the estate when the benefactor dies. The second, Estate Wars, reportedly will follow the heirs of a person, already deceased, as they fight over the assets of the estate.
While either show might appeal to TV audiences for the potential conflict and emotional scenes, most of us would prefer that our estates not be disbursed in such dramatic fashion. In fact, one of the most basic reasons for executing a Will in the first place is to avoid conflict and ensure that our assets are distributed as we desire.
Your Will is a statement that directs who will receive your property at your death and it appoints a legal representative to carry out your wishes. With a Will, you have the ability to choose the legal representative, your Executor, and to determine how your property is to be disbursed.
If you die intestate - without a Will - the state where you are domiciled will decide who receives the assets in your estate, not the participants in a TV show!
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The Law Offices of Jeremy W. Howe, LTD. are ElderLaw
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