Wills in Kahite

Start with the asset, not just the will

Make a working list of assets and note how each is owned and whether a beneficiary is named. Then compare that information with the people and instructions you want your will to address. The key question is whether the records point in the same direction—or whether an asset’s ownership or designation needs closer attention.

A will, a trust, a beneficiary designation, and an ownership record serve different roles. Do not assume that instructions in one document automatically change another. If you are considering a pour-over will or a trust, ask how the documents and the way assets are held are intended to work together.

Choose the right people for each role

Identify who you want to handle the estate matters addressed by your will, and consider a backup if your first choice cannot serve. Keep that role distinct from a trustee, who manages trust property under trust terms, and an agent under a power of attorney, whose authority depends on that document’s scope, duration, and limits.

A will does not make someone an agent for financial decisions during your lifetime or a healthcare decision-maker. If you want those authorities addressed, ask separately about the appropriate financial and healthcare documents and who should receive each role.

Prepare a comparison sheet

Bring a simple inventory rather than relying on memory. For each significant asset, record its general description, how it is titled or owned, any named beneficiary, and where the supporting record can be found. Note accounts or property for which you are unsure of the current arrangement.

Beside the inventory, list the people you want involved, the role you have in mind, and any alternate. This makes it easier to discuss mismatches—for example, a will instruction that appears inconsistent with an asset’s recorded ownership or beneficiary information—without assuming which document controls or what change is appropriate.

• Gather the current will and any trust or related planning documents.
• Locate recent ownership and beneficiary records where available.
• Write down unresolved questions, including who should handle each role and whether a backup is needed.

Questions to resolve before signing

Ask which assets your proposed will is intended to address, and which may pass under ownership arrangements or beneficiary designations. Ask what information would clarify an apparent inconsistency and whether a related trust or separate document should be considered.

Dale Law Group, PLLC, offers wills and related estate-planning services, including pour-over wills and trusts. The firm serves Tennessee and has an office in Murfreesboro; no Kahite office is represented here. Kahite is an unincorporated Census-designated place, not a separate municipal government.