Forgot a Self-Proving Affidavit? In Florida you may be able to add it after the fact to your West Palm Beach Estate plan!

Do you know what a self-proving affidavit does? Experienced Palm Beach  probate litigators know how crucial these are to your estate plan. Did you know that you might be able to add a self-proving affidavit to your will after you already executed it? Learn how to save the witnesses time by executing one of these important documents. 

Self-Proving Affidavits

• So what is a self-proving affidavit?
• When you execute a will in West Palm Beach you have to have witnesses sign it.
• These witnesses are attesting to your signature and when you die the will has to be admitted to probate by their testimony. 
• What does that mean?
• Basically the witnesses have to go down the probate court and testify under oath to your signature.
• This happens even if no one contests the will.
• That seems tedious right?
• That is where a West Palm Beach self-proving affidavit comes in.
• These documents are signed with formalities that eliminate the need for the witnesses to come down to the Court.
• This is especially important is you may lose track of witnesses.
• For example maybe the witnesses moved or predeceased you. 
• Now what?
• Should have had a self-proving affidavit.
• There is good news though.

After the Fact Affidavits

• You do not need to execute the affidavit at the time you sign the will, although this is recommended.
• You can get it done after the fact, maybe after you read this blog!
• Do you know what needs to go into a self-proving affidavit?
• An experienced Palm Beach probate litigator knows how to draft these documents to avoid testimony by witnesses in West Palm Beach.
• Does your will have a self-proving affidavit?
• A good way to check is to see if there was a notary there at the time of execution, now look for the affidavit at the end of the will.
• Are you unsure if what you are reading is an affidavit?
• Take the will to a Palm Beach probate firm and ask for a consultation today.
• These documents can save time and money for your heirs and witnesses.
• Furthermore, adding one is not going to be hard, you do not need to scrap your prior estate plan, just add it in at the end.
• What other parts of a strong estate plan are missing from your West Palm Beach will?
• Do other jurisdictions respect the self-proving affidavit for purposes of ancillary administration?