Rearrange Pages In Legal Tennessee Pour Over Will Forms For Free

There are two basic ways to change a will: (1) by writing a new Will; or (2) by amending a current Will with a codicil. Creating a new Will has become the preferred way to change an estate plan. However, creating a new Will without regard to the old one makes the Will vulnerable to court challenges.

In most cases, wills are final and absolute. However, wills can be contested by people or parties who believe they would have been entitled to a share of the deceased person's estate provided that they have grounds to do so. In Tennessee, most wills are contested on two grounds: competence and undue influence.

Not only must the witnesses and testator sign the will, but they must all do so in the presence of each other. If one signs the will without the other being present, the will cannot be accepted. Tennessee requires strict compliance with these rules. If you do not meet any of these requirements, the will is invalid.

The only applicable statute of limitations applies to actions to contest or set aside the probate of a will. Those actions generally must be brought within two years from the entry of the order admitting the will to probate.

Not all assets have to go through the probate process in Tennessee. If assets have a named beneficiary or are jointly held, then they usually go straight to the beneficiary or the surviving owner without needing to be probated.

No, in Tennessee, you do not need to notarize your will to make it legal. However, Tennessee allows you to make your will "self-proving" and you'll need to go to a notary if you want to do that. A self-proving will speeds up probate because the court can accept the will without contacting the witnesses who signed it.