Making a Will
In his old age, Rahul visits a lawyer with his children to prepare his will, deciding how his property will be divided.
Key words and phrases
Useful sentences
- Ask How do I go about writing my will?
- Answer Let's start by listing all your property and assets.
- Ask Who should be named as the executor?
- Answer You can name your eldest child or someone you trust.
- Ask Do we need witnesses to sign the will?
- Answer Yes, two witnesses must sign it.
- Ask Can the property be divided equally among the children?
- Answer Yes, that can be clearly stated in the will.
- Ask Does the will need to be notarised?
- Answer Yes, it's recommended for legal validity.
- Ask Who are the beneficiaries in your will?
- Answer My two children and one grandchild are the beneficiaries.
- Ask What happens to the estate if I want to make changes later?
- Answer You can add a codicil or revoke the will and write a new one.
- Ask Should I appoint a guardian for my grandchildren?
- Answer Yes, it's wise to name a guardian in case both parents are unavailable.
- Ask Can I set up a trust for my grandchildren's education?
- Answer Yes, a trust can manage the assets until they are old enough.
- Ask Is my signature enough to make the will valid?
- Answer No, it also needs the signatures of two witnesses.
Dialogue
RahulI want to prepare my will now, while I'm in good health.
LawyerThat's wise. Let's start by listing your property and heirs.
RahulI want to divide everything equally between my two children.
LawyerUnderstood. We'll also need two witnesses to sign the document.
SonI'm glad you're doing this, Papa. It'll give all of us peace of mind.
RahulYes, it's important to have things clear and settled.
LawyerWould you also like to appoint a guardian for your grandchildren?
RahulYes, please name my daughter-in-law as their guardian.
DaughterPapa, should we also set up a trust for their education?
LawyerThat's a great idea. I'll draft it as a bequest within the will.
Common mistakes
- Saying "make a will" and "write a will" as completely different — both are commonly used and mean the same thing.
- Saying "give the property" instead of "divide the property" when describing distribution among multiple heirs.
- Saying "notarised the will" instead of "have the will notarised" or "get the will notarised."
- Saying "cancel the will" instead of "revoke the will," which is the correct legal term.
- Saying "beneficiary of the will" instead of "beneficiary in the will" or "beneficiary under the will."
- Saying "take an inheritance" instead of "receive an inheritance" or "inherit property."
Quick quiz
1. What is a "will"?
2. A person appointed to carry out the terms of a will is called the ___.
3. Complete: "Making a will gave him ___ of mind."
4. A person who receives something from a will is called a ___.
5. What is a "codicil"?
6. Complete: "He set up a ___ to manage his grandchildren's education."
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