Wills & Will-Based Planning
A properly drafted will is one of the most important documents you will ever sign — and one of the most commonly done wrong.
Every comprehensive estate plan includes a will. For some clients, a will is the foundation of the entire plan. For others — particularly those with a revocable living trust — the will plays a specific, carefully coordinated role within a broader structure. In either case, getting it right matters.
I draft wills that are tailored to your family, executed with full legal formality, and designed to work seamlessly alongside your other planning documents. No templates. No gaps.
What a Will Does — and What It Doesn't
A will directs the distribution of assets you own in your own name at death, designates guardians for minor children, names an executor to administer your estate, and gives the probate court a roadmap for settling your affairs.
What a will cannot do: control assets that pass by beneficiary designation — such as retirement accounts, life insurance, and jointly owned property — or assets held in a properly funded trust. One of the most common estate planning mistakes is assuming a will governs everything. It doesn't, and misaligned beneficiary designations can override even the most carefully written will.
Part of my process is making sure your will, your trust, and your beneficiary designations all point in the same direction.
Wills in a Trust-Based Plan
For most clients in Fairfield County, a revocable living trust forms the foundation of their estate plan — and a will works alongside it. In that context, the will serves two essential functions:
Pour-over provision — Any assets held in your own name at death that were not transferred to your trust during your lifetime are directed into the trust by the will, so your entire estate is administered under one unified plan.
Guardian designation — A will is the only legal document that allows you to nominate guardians for your minor children. If you have children under 18, this alone makes a properly executed will indispensable — regardless of whether you have a trust.
For clients whose primary plan is trust-based, a pour-over will is included as part of the comprehensive estate plan.
Standalone Will-Based Planning
Not every client needs a trust. For individuals and couples with more straightforward estates, a standalone will — paired with powers of attorney and health care directives — can be an appropriate, cost-effective plan.
During our consultation, I'll help you understand which approach makes sense for your situation, and why. I don't recommend a trust for every client — only when it genuinely serves your goals.
Proper Execution Matters More Than You Think
In Connecticut, a will must be signed in the presence of two witnesses and meet specific formal requirements to be valid. Wills drafted without an attorney — whether through an online service, a mail-order form, or an informal arrangement — frequently have execution defects that render them invalid or create costly ambiguities that families discover only after it's too late to fix them.
Protecting Your Children
For parents of minor children, a will is urgent. It is the document that answers the hardest question: if something happened to both of us, who would raise our children?
A well-drafted will addresses:
Nomination of guardians — and successor guardians — for minor children
Testamentary trust provisions to manage inherited assets until children reach an appropriate age
Distribution structures that avoid a lump-sum inheritance at 18
Coordination with your life insurance and retirement account beneficiary designations
These provisions don't require a full trust-based plan to implement. But they do require a will that was drafted carefully and signed correctly.
If you have questions about whether your existing will is valid — or whether it's time to start from scratch — I'm glad to help. I offer consultations in my Wilton office and virtually throughout Fairfield County.