Most people know how important it is to have a good estate plan. They go through the process of meeting with an attorney and getting everything in writing so that hopefully their wishes will be honored after they pass away. However, many times the estate plan is contested by the family after the passing of the loved one. A contested estate plan can cost a lot of money, prolong the process of executing the plan, and can be emotionally traumatizing on the family. This is why it is best if you do whatever you can to avoid your estate plan being contested. Here are a couple tips to avoid your estate plan being contested.

1. Do It Young and While You Are Healthy

One of the best things you can do is get your estate plan done while you are young and healthy. A major reason that people contest an estate plan is that they believe that the individual was not in their right mind when they made it, or when they made the changes. For instance, if your health is declining and you haven't been able to think as clearly and then you go in and make changes, your family might be able to get a medical professional to say that you weren't healthy enough to know what you were doing.

This is why if you can create the will and make changes while you are of sound mind, it will hold up better in court.

2. Share The Contents Of The Plan Before You Pass Away

Some people make the mistake of keeping the contents of the estate plan a secret until they pass away. They may not want to make people upset or don't see a purpose in letting their family know what to expect. The worry is that your loved ones may be blindsided by the contents of the estate plan. With you not there to explain yourself and your reasoning for doing what you did, it will not only cause confusion, but pain and hurt.

When you talk to your family before the end of your life is near, you can diffuse some of the misunderstandings that they might have. So that after you pass, even if they don't agree with what you have done, they will know that this is what you wanted and why you wanted it done this way. Don't make your family guess after you have passed and make it so they can never get closure.

By doing these simple things, you can hopefully avoid your estate plan being contested. If you'd like to learn more about estate planning, check it out here.

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