Simply put, a last will and testament is a document that explains where you want your property to go when you die. Without a will, you will not be able to have a say where your property goes when you pass away. This means that a judge whom you have never met will be applying rules that you likely have never read and then dividing your property based on those rules. A valid will allows you the ability to name anyone you trust to manage how your estate is handled.
If you are at least eighteen years old, of sound mind, and not under undue influence, you have the ability to write a will in Ohio. However, the will still needs to conform to several legal requirements. One of these requirements is that your signing of a will needs to be witnessed by at least two people who are disinterested parties. Other requirements can easily be explained by an attorney.
Absent an absolute emergency, your will should be written and signed by you. Oftentimes, an attorney will be able to assist you in preparing this document and review all your assets with you. Without reviewing a will with someone who understands estate and family wealth planning, you may run the risk of omitting important assets under Ohio law.
Oftentimes, people avoid drafting wills because they believe their lives and their financial situation will change before death. However, a party can always revise their will through a codicil and prepare additional family wealth management devices such as trusts.