Can’t I just make a handwritten Will?

Handwritten, un-witnessed wills, called "holographic" wills, are NOT legal in Washington State. (They are legal in about 25 other states).

It is legal to write your own witnessed will if you wish. This is not recommended for people who have no legal training and many problems can arise through incorrect use of legal terminology. This can cause problems after your death which may add to the cost of finalizing your wishes. And if you don't have guidance -- from a good lawyer -- it's easy to write something that turns out to be invalid, unenforceable, ambiguous or even contrary to what you intended.

Whether your estate is large or small, you probably need an estate plan. For more information on estate planning, call us at 206-782-0722.

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