The Law Office of Dallas Lain

So, we’ve established that you cannot leave your property to your heirs by videotape, and that a handwritten will is probably not a good idea either. What then, do you need to make sure your will is accepted as valid under Wyoming law?

The Wyoming Statutes set it out pretty simply. According to the statutes, a will must be

• in writing,
• witnessed by two competent witnesses, and
• signed by the testator.

One small technicality: the two witnesses cannot be people who receive anything under the will. If a beneficiary (person who receives something in the will) also witnesses the will, that person will not be allowed to take his or her bequest (gift made by a will).

In other words, this is something you don’t want to mess up when you are signing your will. For this reason, your lawyer will tell you not to have one of your grown children or another beneficiary of the will act as your witness; instead, you might ask a close friend to be a witness. Alternatively, your lawyer may ask her secretary or legal assistant to be a witness to the will. Your lawyer will also have the signatures of your witnesses, as well as your signature, notarized. If all the signatures to the will are properly notarized, it creates a presumption that the will was properly signed, and the will is valid.

And then, you’ve done it. You’ve created a valid will that expresses your wishes and protects your family and your assets. Don’t you feel better already?

Related posts:

1. Wyoming Estate Planning Basics: Can you use a handwritten will?
2. Wyoming Estate Planning Basics: What happens if you die without a will?

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