A valid Will ensures that the property you’ve worked for and cherished over a lifetime is distributed as you wish. The document provides order and direction for those who are charged with handling your affairs after you are gone. And, if you have special children in your life, either your own, grandchildren, or nieces and nephews, a Will can speak to how they should be cared for and educated. During your lifetime if you have settled a home, nurtured a business, benefitted a church or charity, or served as the caretaker of family treasures, whether they are persons or possessions, a Will speaks to the priorities you had in life and preserves them.
 
Well-crafted Wills can also pass property along from one generation to the next with less disruption (and less potential for estate taxes); ensuring that the values and decisions of the individual are honored. Many people believe that they can type up a Will themselves and have a friend or relative witness the document, using an online form-- or their own beliefs about how a Will should read. Unfortunately, most states (and Georgia is among them) require numerous legal formalities for a valid Will—because those formalities assure that assets are passed along properly. And, the appropriate language is also important. Often hand-drawn Wills use phrases that create unintended consequences.