The "Players" in the Will Process
First, you need to know the terminology and people involved in the will process. Here is a very brief overview of who is involved in the will process.
Testator = person who has the will (So, if a person dies with a will, that person is said to have died testate. If a person dies without a will, that person is said to have died intestate.)
Lawyer = person who drafts the will for the testator (Lawyers are not required to make a valid will, but it is generally wise to hire a lawyer.)
Beneficiaries = those who hope to take something from the will (We say "hope" because that is all any beneficiary has until the death of the testator. We’ll show why later in this article.)
Executor = person (or entity) named by the testator to carry out the terms of the will
Probate Court (i.e. "Probate") = the court where the will is "proven" (This means the written terms in the will are shown to be the intent of the testator.)
Next, we’ll explore the common characteristics of a will.