Why the Location of Your Will is Important

Do you already have a will that you made with help from an estate planning attorney in Connecticut? Or do you have plans to make a will? Whether you have an existing will or you will soon be making one, it is more important than you might think to consider where you will store your will. In other words, in what location are you going to keep a copy of your will? You might be thinking that it is best to store your will in a safety deposit box at your bank, for example, or to keep the will in a hidden location in your home. Yet in fact, putting your will in a location where it is accessible to your executor and to beneficiaries is where your will should be stored. Our Connecticut estate planning attorney can explain in more detail.

Access to Your Will for Your Executor and Beneficiaries

After you work with an estate planning lawyer to ensure that your will meets all requirements under Connecticut law, you will likely be thinking about how to keep the document safe. While it is certainly important to keep the document safe, it is equally important that the document be accessible to the people who are going to need access to it.

It can be difficult for an executor or family member to gain legal access to a safety deposit box if they are not also a co-owner. If you attempt to put your will in an undisturbed location in your home for safekeeping, your executor and family members may not be able to locate it at all. And if you place it in a fireproof home safe — which can be a great idea — make certain that all necessary parties have the correct combination. In short, make certain that your executor and family know where your will is located and can access it.

Preventing Delays and Complications

Your executor will have 30 days under Connecticut law to file your will with the probate court. You do not want to put your executor in a situation where they are having difficulty locating your will, or having to take steps to gain access to a bank safety deposit box or to get into a home safe for which they do not have the combination.

The time period of 30 days is actually very short when your executor is dealing with the requirements of administering your estate while also accounting for their own lives and well-being. You can prevent any unnecessary delays or complications in the probate process by ensuring that your executor has immediate access to your will and can file it accordingly.

Contact a Canton Estate Planning Lawyer Today for Assistance 

Are you ready to sit down with an estate planning lawyer to work on your estate plan? Having a will is important for all adults in Connecticut, and you should plan to create a will regardless of your age or income level. Once you create a will, as we discussed above, it is extremely important that your executor and beneficiaries will be able to access your will when the time comes. To find out more about making a will and other estate planning documents, you should get in touch with an experienced Canton estate planning attorney at the Law Office of Brian S. Karpe. We can speak with you today about your particular estate planning needs, and we can begin working with you to create an estate plan that best suits your circumstances and goals. Contact our firm today for more information about how we can help you.

Source:

cga.ct.gov/2023/pub/chap_802a.htm