It’s helpful to start the process of making your will by listing your assets. You may or may not want to dispose of all of your property in your will, but having a list handy can help you make sure you’re including all of your real and personal property in your estate plan.

Include the following types of assets in your list:

• Checking and savings accounts
• Real estate
• Stocks and bonds
• Vehicles

Keep in mind that you can transfer property to your loved ones in many ways. For example, if you’d like to leave money to an adult child but you’re worried about their money management skills, you can set up a trust in your will. With a trust, you can provide instructions to a trustee to disburse funds to your child in small amounts rather than a lump sum.

Many people choose their spouse and children as beneficiaries, but you can choose any person you’d like to receive something from your estate. Consider whether you’d like to name any friends, neighbors, or co-workers as beneficiaries. You can even make an organization, such as your favorite charity a beneficiary in your will.

You should name an executor in your will. The person you choose as executor of your estate will have the responsibility of paying your debts and disbursing the remainder of your estate to your beneficiaries. Choose someone you trust as your executor and also choose an alternate executor.

If you die intestate (without a will), a probate court may appoint an executor or personal representative for your estate. In creating a will, you have the opportunity to choose the person who will administer your estate for yourself.

If you have minor children or incapacitated adult children, you might want to think about who would take care of them in the event of your death. If you die without having made a choice of guardian, a court could end up appointing someone.

Choose someone you trust and who you believe can handle the responsibilities and duties of being a guardian. Also, choose an alternate guardian. Naming an alternate puts someone in place in case the first person you chose as guardian is unable or unwilling to fulfill the role.

The laws regarding the proper execution of a last will and testament vary from state to state, so it’s important that you comply with the laws of your state. If your Washington last will and testament doesn’t meet state law requirements, it could be found invalid.

The Revised Code of Washington lists the requirements for the person who’s making a will. The person making a will is called a testator. For a will to be valid in the state of Washington, the testator must be of sound mind and at least 18 years of age.

There are additional requirements for the will itself. RCW 11.12.020 states that your last will and testament must be:

• In writing
• Signed by the testator (or by someone else at the testator’s direction)
• Attested to by at least two competent witnesses

You should sign your will in front of your witnesses. It’s a good idea to get your will notarized, but it’s not a requirement. Whether or not you have your will notarized could affect the speed with which your family is able to get the will through probate.

When a notary public or other officer who is authorized to administer oaths notarizes a will, it becomes self-proving. This means that the probate court won’t require witness testimony regarding the validity of the will. If your will is not notarized, a probate court may require witnesses to come forward and provide testimony. Because it can be difficult and time-consuming to locate witnesses and get them in court, it could be beneficial for your family if you have a self-proving will.

It’s a good idea to store your will in a safe and accessible place so that the people who need to access it when you die can get to it. A common mistake is to place a will in a safe deposit box that only the testator can access. This can be problematic because your family may have to get the court involved to get authorization to access your safe deposit box.

Consider placing your will in a home safe or other place that your family can access. Let your executor know where you placed the will and how to get to it.