Husband's Will

[hiswife]

My husband recently passed away. He had a written will, witnessed by two people, and notarized. Do I have to hire an attorney to read his will or can we just gather everybody together and read it? Would that be legal? He was a good, honest, hard-working man. It's not like he had a lot of stuff. It mainly just lists little odds and ends that he left to various people. Thanks in advance!

 

[hiswife]

Will somebody please give me an answer to this? I really, really need to know as his family is pushing to "get the will over with". I don't have money to hire an attorney. Also, do I have to probate his will? People are telling me that I don't since it's not a "big estate" or anything. Like I said, it's mostly odds and ends and special little things that he's left to specific family members. What isn't specifically designated goes to me as his wife.

Please, I really need to know if there needs to be a formal will reading or if I can't just show it to his oldest daughter and then we just gather up and distribute what he left to everybody. Is this legal? Can we do this?

Thanks so very much in advance for your time.

 

[lwpat]

Go down to the probate court and talk to the clerk. Take an original of the death certificate and the will. There are different rules governing small estates. There is no requirement that you "read the will", that is only on Perry Mason. Once you are named the PR of the estate by the probate court, you can distribute the estate in accordance with the will.

 

[hiswife]

Thank you so very much for your reply. Maybe they will be reasonable for once and we can just get this over with, without my having to pay money I don't have to an attorney. Thanks so much again!