A simple will gives your property to your closest family in very general terms. Here is an example. If I were Zebulon Young*, with a wife and two kids, this could be my simple will.

Last Will and Testament

of

Zebulon Young

I, Zebulon Young, declare this to be my last will and testament, and I hereby revoke all wills I may have made before this day.

I declare that I am currently married to Xena Young.

I declare that I have two children, William Young and Victoria Young, and that I have no deceased children.

It is my intention by this will to dispose of all my property, real, personal, and mixed, including any and all property of whatever nature acquired after the execution of this will.

I hereby give my 1977 Harley Davidson XLCR to my son William Young.

I hereby give my 1975 Volkswagen Beetle convertible to my daughter Victoria Young.

I give all of the rest of my estate to my wife Xena Young.

If any of my legatees contest this will in any manner, I revoke any gift to him or her, and direct that his or her share of any gift be disposed of as if he or she had predeceased me.

I hereby nominate my wife to act as my executor, without bond. If my wife should predecease me, or be unable to act as my executor for any reason, then I nominate my daughter Victoria Young to act as my executor, without bond.

I, Zebulon Young, hereby sign my name to this instrument on ___________________, 2016, and being first duly sworn, do hereby declare to the undersigned witnesses and public that I willingly sign and execute this instrument as my Last Will and Testament as my free and voluntary act and that I am of legal age, of sound mind, and under no constraint or undue influence.

We, _________________________________ and ___________________________________, the witnesses, sign our names to this instrument, being first duly sworn, and do hereby declare to the undersigned notary public that Zebulon Young represented to us that he willingly signs and executes this instrument as his Last Will and Testament as his free and voluntary act, and that each of us, in the presence and hearing of Zebulon Young, and in the presence of each other, hereby sign this instrument as witness to the signature of Zebulon Young, and each of us does hereby state that, to the best of our respective knowledge, Zebulon Young is of legal age, of sound mind, and under no constraint or undue influence.

/s/ Witness                                                 /s/ Witness                                                                                   Witness Name                                           Witness Name

The State of ____________________)                                                                                                                                  .                                                        :ss                                                                                                                   County of ______________________)

The foregoing instrument was subscribed, sworn to and acknowledged before me by Zebulon Young, the Testator, and subscribed and sworn to before me by Witness One and Witness Two this ________ day of ________________________, 2016. Witness my hand and official seal.

(Seal)                                                                 /s/Notary’s Signature                                                                        .                                                                        Notary Public

So there you have it. A simple will for a married person with two kids, who wants to give his things to his wife and children. You can modify this basic will form for your specific needs. Just  be sure to keep the essential parts.

* I don’t have a Harley XLCR (or a VW Beetle convertible). I just think they are cool, and I pined for them a bit when I was young.

By Steve Harton

Steve is an attorney in Rock Springs, Wyoming. If you would like some help writing a will in Wyoming, please give him a call, at 307-382-5545.