West Virginia Wills Lawyer

West Virginia Wills Attorney

Effective & Cost-Efficient Legal Representation. Offices in Beckley, Charleston, and Lewisburg.

Writing a will is often difficult for many people. This is not necessarily because the process is complicated but people commonly put off or completely avoid the big question: What will happen in the event of my death? It is challenging to consider all the variables involved in that question. That is where having a trusted advisor becomes essential.

Our West Virginia wills attorneys can help you plan for the inevitable and navigate the details. From establishing trusted persons to act as guardians for minor children or decision-making agents to act on your behalf when you cannot express your wishes to setting up your beneficiaries, and more, Wooton, Davis, Hussell & Johnson, PLLC can take the overwhelm out of your estate planning process. That process often begins with the foundational document of a will.

Wills & Their Benefits

Having a last will and testament in place will reduce the strife your loved ones face during an already difficult time. A valid will prepared and finalized in advance means that you will not die “intestate.” Without a will, your estate will be administered through the probate process according to intestacy laws with a judge having the final say as to how your property and assets will be passed on. This will be done without any understanding of what you would have wanted.

A last will and testament is a written legal document that outlines your wishes and instructions about how you wish your property and assets to be distributed upon your passing. Many people believe that wills apply only to the wealthy who have large or complicated “estates.” However, many valuable reasons exist for having a properly prepared will.

These include:

• A will provides clarity to your heirs and beneficiaries as to who gets what, how much, and when they will receive these assets.
• In a will, you can name a guardian for any minor children you might leave behind as well as someone to manage their assets until they come of age.
• A valid will generally makes the probate process faster allowing easier access to your distributions for your heirs.
• In a will, you can make gifts and charitable donations; these often can minimize estate taxes.
• A will allows you to ensure that your assets are not distributed to individuals whom you prefer not to have them such as estranged family members.
• In a will, you can name a trusted person to act as the executor who will be in charge of settling your estate through probate.
• In a will, you can provide money to care for your pets.
• In conjunction with a will, you can create Power of Attorney documents that name a trusted person to handle financial, medical, and other life affairs on your behalf when you are unable to make your wishes known.

To prevent challenges to your will, it needs to be written in clear language that accurately describes what you want to have done. It also needs to be properly witnessed. For peace of mind on this issue, we recommend that you seek the help of one of our competent estate planning attorneys to ensure that your will is drafted and finalized properly.

Work with a Trusted Legal Resource in West Virginia

Having a last will and testament in place will reduce the strife your loved ones face during an already difficult time. Probate administration is seamless when your wishes are known and all financial decisions are in writing.

This can be accomplished without the help of an attorney but ensuring nothing is left to chance is why so many people choose Wooton, Davis, Hussell and Johnson to navigate end-of-life decisions. Our firm is a leader in handling wills and all other estate planning methods and options in West Virginia.