Healthcare Power of Attorney Formalities

There are a few technical requirements with which you must comply before a healthcare power of attorney will be considered legally valid and binding.

Constructive Trusts

Trusts are sometimes classified by the intent, if any, of the settlor to create a trust. This article discusses the kind of trust for which the settlor's intent is irrelevant: the constructive trust.

Codicils

In Latin, the word "codicil" means "little will. A codicil is a formal document that amends the provisions of a will. The amendments may change, modify, or supplement the provisions of a will.

What is a Will?

A simple definition of a will can be found in a paralegal textbook, Edward A. Nolfi's Basic Wills, Trusts, and Estates (Glencoe/McGraw-Hill 1995). Mr. Nolfi writes that: "A will is a formal letter to the probate court judge declaring what the maker wants after death." Let's look at each part of this intriguing definition.

Handwritten and Oral Wills

Today, the standard method of making a will is the formal witnessed written will, sometimes called an attested will. However, today's formal witnessed will has roots in other methods of making a will. The first wills in medieval England were the oral wills recognized by church-related courts. Some states permit one or more of the historic methods of making a will. This article discusses handwritten and orals wills. Contact your lawyer to learn if these methods of will making are permitted in your state.