What Is a Will?

A Will is a legal document in which you give instruction on how your assets will be distributed and how debts will be repaid following your death. A Will helps you protect items of family or sentimental value from being sold in the court’s estate administration process. Without a Will, a deceased’s property will be distributed according to the state intestacy statute, which vary by state, or may escheat (be forfeited to) the state. This may take longer and cost more than if there is a Will. Your estate might wind up being administrated by a total stranger appointed by the court. In your Will, you name an individual known as a Personal Representative, in Arizona, to carry out your wishes. Your chosen representative transfers your property to the people you have designated and pays off any debts under the supervision of the Probate Court.