Making a will - and bequests in general - is the subject of so many questions that it can be hard to get a clear picture. What is true? What's not, or what needs to be qualified?
We've taken stock of the situation and deciphered 5 common misconceptions for you!
"I'm not rich enough to make a will".
Writing a will means leaving what you own to the people of your choice. No matter what the financial value. A will enables you to pass on a sum of money or the assets you have acquired during your life, including those of sentimental value.
So it's in everyone's interest to make a will to pass on what's dear to them to the people of their choice!
"It's complicated to draw up a will".
To draw up a will, you have two options:
1. If you don't have any children or heirs and would like to leave a legacy to just one person, it's very simple: Take a pen and a sheet of paper. Write on it:
- your complete identity
- today's date
- details of what you wish to bequeath and to whom
- your signature
And your will is written! We still recommend that you contact a notary to ensure that it is in order.
2. Do you have heirs with rights reserved or would you like to include several heirs? In this case, we advise you to think about what you want to pass on and to whom, and then consult a notary. For a reasonable fee, he or she can help you draw up a valid will that complies with the various legal constraints and your wishes.
"I'm too young to think about a will".
In the absence of a will, all your assets will revert to your family (children, married spouse or parents...).
If you wish to pass on your estate to someone who is not "officially" part of your family (civil union partner, cohabitee, friend...), then we advise you to draw up a will as soon as possible to give legal effect to your wishes.
Finally, it's always possible to change your mind: if your previous will no longer suits you, you can make a new one, whose existence will revoke the previous one.
"A will is frozen once it's written".
Our personal circumstances and wishes often change over the course of our lives. That's why it's possible to draw up a new will at any time: only the most recent one will be taken into account.
So your last wishes are never set in stone!
> For further information, don't hesitate to contact me.
"Legacies are only for close family members"
Making a bequest means passing on one or more designated assets (or sums of money) to someone else. The beneficiary can be any natural person (family member, friend, neighbor, etc.) or legal entity (association such as Planète Enfants & Développement, for example).
Bequests aren't just for close family members; they can also be used to leave a final gift to all those you care about.
If you would like to find out more about inheritance planningPlease do not hesitate to contact me by email or telephone, and I will answer your questions in complete confidentiality.
Sylvie Morin-Miot
In charge of the Transmission of Patrimony
Mail : sylvie.morin-miot@planete-eed.org
Tel : 01 53 34 86 32
Accompanied by Maître Massuelle, notary
