After you make your last will and testament, all the hard work is done, right? Not exactly. Although making your will is an important step, it is just as important to make sure you store this critical legal document safely. You should also make sure certain key people, such as your executor, know where to find your will. With this in mind, here are some of the worst places to keep your will.
At Work
If you’re like many people, you spend a great deal of time in the office. If your work is your second home, you may be tempted to store your will there. If you own a business and the building, it might make sense for you to keep a copy of your will in your office, but this isn’t such a great idea if you are just an employee – even if you’re a high-ranking one. You might have access to the office, but it’s unlikely your family members do. If you pass away, they might have a tough time finding your will or even getting access to your place of employment. It’s also easy for something like a will to get lost among other work-related documents.
A Junk Drawer
You shouldn’t keep your will just anywhere, including a spare kitchen drawer or a basket where you keep mail, bills, or other papers. It’s easy to toss a completed will in a random drawer, but it’s just as easy for a will to get lost in the shuffle of your everyday life. The last thing you need after creating a will is to accidentally throw it away in a bout of spring cleaning.
Only at Your Lawyer’s Office
It’s perfectly reasonable to keep a copy of your will at your attorney’s office, but you should take the original with you. Furthermore, it’s not a good idea to rely on your attorney as permanent storage for your important legal documents. If the office is flooded or damaged by fire, or if your lawyer purges documents after a reasonable amount of time, you can’t count on copies to be there.
St. Paul Estate Planning and Probate Lawyers
Call the Minnesota probate and estate planning attorneys at Jeffrey P. Scott & Associates, LLC today our office to talk about your estate planning or probate case. Our lawyers are here to help.
