In today’s society, more and more people are making the smart decision to create a will. A will is an incredibly valuable estate planning tool that allows individuals to protect their hard-earned assets. In a will, a person outlines who will receive their assets after they’ve departed. A will gives individuals peace of mind knowing their final wishes will be carried out properly. Once a will is created, individuals can modify or revoke it. Sometimes an individual amends their will because they have had a change in circumstances such as the birth of a new child they want to include. Nevertheless, when an individual dies, a will can no longer be changed or revoked. However, in some cases, individuals may change certain conditions if all parties agree to change the will or they can prove that something about the will is invalid. If you are an executor of a loved one’s will and are curious about whether you can alter the conditions of their will, contact an experienced Montgomery County Will Drafting Attorney who can help you navigate the complexities of this situation.
Is it possible to change a will after the grantor dies?
In the unfortunate event the grantor, the person who created the will, passes away or becomes incapacitated, no changes or modifications will be permitted. When the grantor dies, the will becomes irrevocable. Essentially, this means no amendments can be made to the conditions of the will. However, under certain circumstances, certain changes can be made. For instance, if someone does not want their share or only wants some of the inheritance they were left, it could warrant a change in the will. This change could reduce the inheritance tax that is taken out of a beneficiary’s inheritance. In addition, the will could also be changed if the people inheriting the grantor’s money want to share the funds they’ve received equally between all parties. Essentially, all parties in these circumstances must agree to the changes or the changes cannot be made.
Furthermore, sometimes the grantor is not specific enough, which confuses who they intended their assets to be transferred to. It is important when creating a will to be as specific as possible as the wording in a will is extremely important. If there is a problem with the wording of a will, it could prevent an intended beneficiary from receiving their intended inheritance. However, a will can be changed through a deed of variation, if there is an issue with the wording in a will. However, as mentioned above, all parties must agree to this change.
If you are interested in creating a will and wondering whether a loved one can change the conditions of the will once you’ve departed, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our adept attorneys. Our dedicated attorneys can assist you in understanding when amendments can be made to a will after the grantor has passed away.