Create your Nebraska will with confidence
Protect your loved ones with a Nebraska will using FindLaw’s attorney-created forms and easy step-by-step process.
Choose your Nebraska will options
Provide clear guidance and control what happens to your property, children, and pets with a will. Ensure comprehensive protection for you and your loved ones and secure your future with an estate planning forms package.
Last Will and Testament
Customize a will to suit your needs
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Estate Planning Package
All the forms you need to create a personal estate plan
Protect your family and property with a Nebraska will
If you die without a will in Nebraska, a probate court determines how to distribute your property and who will care for your minor children. The court’s decisions might not align with your preferences. With a Nebraska will, you take control of these decisions. Our easy-to-use forms allow you to make decisions about your property’s fate, determine when beneficiaries can access their inheritance, and secure your estate by expressly disinheriting specific individuals. Additionally, a will speeds up the probate process, saving your family time and money.
With FindLaw, you can easily create a will. Click on the links below to jump down the page:
How it works
It only takes minutes to control your future. Need help? Contact one of our directory attorneys.
Create an account
Create a secure account which is accessible through an easy dashboard you can access any time.
Gather information
You will need a list of your assets, contact information for important people, and any wishes you want to be honored when you’re gone.
Complete your documents
Answer all questions, then we’ll generate your digital documents for downloading, printing, and signing.
Make it legal
Carefully follow the instructions provided in the form, which may include signing your documents in front of witnesses or a notary.
Plan for your future with confidence
This free guide will help you:
Learn the most common estate planning terms
Understand the essential estate planning tools
Gather critical information with an estate planning checklist
How do I make my will in Nebraska?
Follow these steps for a DIY will:
List your property and assets
The first step is to determine what property you will give away in your will and what property transfers outside of your will. For example, TOD (transfer-on-death) designations on bank accounts pass outside of your will. Other assets that do not transfer through your will are:
- Bank and investment accounts with transfer-on-death beneficiaries
- IRA and retirement accounts with transfer-on-death beneficiaries
- Real estate owned in joint tenancy
Examples of property or other assets that you distribute through your will are:
- Real property in your name only
- Cars, boats, or RV’s in your name only
- Personal or household items and valuables
Name your beneficiaries
The second step is to decide who will inherit your property in the will. You can give someone a specific bequest or gift by listing the item and the beneficiary. If you want to make a charitable donation, you can do so in your will. If any beneficiary is under 18, you can instruct the personal representative to hold their share in a trust for them until they reach a specified age.
Choose a personal representative
Next, you will name someone to administer your estate. Your personal representative pays off your debts, distributes your assets according to your will, and files paperwork with the probate court. Choose someone you trust and can manage the responsibility.
Name a guardian for minor children
If you have children under 18, you will nominate a guardian to manage their care until they become an adult. The guardian takes care of your children’s support, education, healthcare, and maintenance.
Print and sign the document in front of witnesses.
Under Nebraska law, you must sign your will in front of two competent witnesses. At least one of your witnesses should be a “disinterested” witness, meaning a witness who will not receive anything from your will. Additionally, Nebraska allows you to complete a “self-proving affidavit” in which a notary signs a witness affidavit to prove the will’s validity.
Nebraska last will and testament frequently asked questions
A lawyer is not required to draft a will in Nebraska. A valid will is your statement of wishes that conforms to your state laws. You can write your own will or follow FindLaw’s simplified interview process to create your will.
However, you may have particular questions about your will. In that case, you might engage a Nebraska estate planning lawyer to review your document. FindLaw is not a law firm, and the forms are not a substitute for the advice or services of an attorney.
To make your will in Nebraska, you must have a “sound mind” and be at least 18 years old. Sound mind means the mental capacity to understand what property you own, who your heirs are, and what property you are giving away in your will. You must also sign your will in front of two competent witnesses.
If you do not have a will, you die “intestate.” Nebraska follows intestate laws to determine who will receive your property. If you have a spouse but no children, for example, your spouse gets the first one hundred thousand dollars, plus one-half of the balance of your estate. Your parents would receive the other one-half balance of your estate. Intestacy laws do not account for your wishes, so it is best to make a will. Additionally, a will speeds up the probate process, so your family saves time and money.
A will is a critical piece of your estate plan. However, there are several other estate planning documents to help you during your lifetime. For example, if you face an extended illness or incapacity.
Suppose you are unable to manage your finances. In that case, a financial power of attorney authorizes your agent to manage your finances and your property. Or what if you cannot make healthcare decisions for yourself? A medical power of attorney allows you to name a health care attorney-in-fact to make your medical decisions.
Finally, an advance directive, called a Power of Attorney for Health Care in Nebraska, appoints a health care attorney-in-fact to handle your instructions for end-of-life care.
You may want to speak with a lawyer if you:
- Have a past divorce, blended family, or other complex family situation
- Have a high-value estate
- Own a business
- Want to create a special needs trust
- Want legal review of your completed will