When you pass away, one of the first things your family will look for is your will. A will is a legal document that states your wishes, and it will ensure that your assets get transferred to the right people. After you create a will, you may need to revise it from time to time. Here are three things you should realize about wills and making changes to yours. 

How Often Should You Revise It?

Some people make wills and never make changes to them, but this is not wise. There are times when situations and circumstances change in life, which is why you may want to plan on revising your will every year or two. If you make the habit of looking it over every two years, you could easily keep up with the changes in your life.

In addition to revising it every couple years, you should also revise it if anything major happens or changes in your life. This can include if you get divorced, if one of your children gets divorced, or if a close loved one dies. Any time a major event happens in life, you should plan on looking over your will simply to see if changes need to be made.

How Do You Revise It?

The best way to revise a will is to visit your attorney. During this visit, you can discuss your situation with the attorney, and you will have three options to choose from:

1. Do nothing – If there is no reason to change anything on the will, your attorney will suggest doing nothing. If you do not make any changes, the will you currently have will be valid and legal if you pass away.
2. Add a codicil – If you would like to make one or two minor changes to your will, your attorney might suggest adding a codicil. A codicil is an amendment that is used to make minor changes to wills. When a codicil is added, it replaces your previous wishes about whatever subject the codicil is for.
3. Create a new will – In some cases, it is better to make a brand new will instead of adding codicils. Because wills are now stored on computers, it is quite simple to create a new will each time you want to make changes. If you need to make more than one change on your will, this is probably the option your attorney will suggest.

Keeping your will current is important if you want to make sure your wishes are met. To learn more about this, visit a lawyer (such as Patricia L Riddick PLLC Atty) that offers services for wills and estates.