English Text Version of Wills Article
Appearing in Forum Turkish American Newspaper
Appearing in Forum Turkish American Newspaper
Your Will
The movie The Aviator depicts the life of Howard Hughes, one of America’s most famous and enigmatic men. To say he
was powerful, dashing, and wealthy would be an understatement. During his fascinating lifetime, Mr. Hughes made tools
for the oil industry, produced movies, courted Hollywood’s most beautiful leading ladies, raced airplanes, and oddly
enough….died without a will! Many wills were offered by people claiming to be the heirs of Howard Hughes. However, a
Texas judge ultimately declared that the there was no will to direct the distribution of the Hughes estate.
Every state has its own specific requirements for properly drafting a valid will. States generally require that a will be in
writing, signed by the person making the will, properly witnessed and dated. The person making the will needs to be an
adult and have the proper capacity to make the will. There are other requirements and considerably more detail to
these requirements. A person is free to change their will during their lifetime, provided that they follow the protocol for
doing so in their state.
A will is not the only means available for distributing one’s assets. Living trusts have gained popularity because they are
not subject to probate. Probate is the process of admitting a will to surrogate court to determine its validity. Probate can
be a lengthy and expensive process if a family members challenge the manner in which assets are to be distributed. If
you would like to learn more about how a will or living trust can be of value to you, feel free to contact me at (718) 224-
9824, t.akpinar@verizon.net, or www.benimavukatim.com.
© 2005 Timur Akpinar
The movie The Aviator depicts the life of Howard Hughes, one of America’s most famous and enigmatic men. To say he
was powerful, dashing, and wealthy would be an understatement. During his fascinating lifetime, Mr. Hughes made tools
for the oil industry, produced movies, courted Hollywood’s most beautiful leading ladies, raced airplanes, and oddly
enough….died without a will! Many wills were offered by people claiming to be the heirs of Howard Hughes. However, a
Texas judge ultimately declared that the there was no will to direct the distribution of the Hughes estate.
Every state has its own specific requirements for properly drafting a valid will. States generally require that a will be in
writing, signed by the person making the will, properly witnessed and dated. The person making the will needs to be an
adult and have the proper capacity to make the will. There are other requirements and considerably more detail to
these requirements. A person is free to change their will during their lifetime, provided that they follow the protocol for
doing so in their state.
A will is not the only means available for distributing one’s assets. Living trusts have gained popularity because they are
not subject to probate. Probate is the process of admitting a will to surrogate court to determine its validity. Probate can
be a lengthy and expensive process if a family members challenge the manner in which assets are to be distributed. If
you would like to learn more about how a will or living trust can be of value to you, feel free to contact me at (718) 224-
9824, t.akpinar@verizon.net, or www.benimavukatim.com.
© 2005 Timur Akpinar
Most of us are not unlikely amass the wealth of Howard Hughes
during our lifetimes. However, almost all of us can benefit from
the use of a simple will. After all, no one lives forever and in the
end, no one takes their wealth with them when they die. With a
little planning, a person can ensure that everything they worked
so hard for during their lifetime goes to the people they love.
One of the simplest of these planning tools is a will. A will is a
legal instrument that provides instructions for the distribution of
one’s property and assets when they die. A will also provides
instructions for guardianship of minor children in the event both
parents die at the same time. If a person dies without a will, they
are said to die intestate. That means their estate would be
distributed according to the probate law of the state. That’s what
happened with the Hughes estate, where the property and
assets were eventually distributed to his cousins and relatives
after years of legal proceedings.
during our lifetimes. However, almost all of us can benefit from
the use of a simple will. After all, no one lives forever and in the
end, no one takes their wealth with them when they die. With a
little planning, a person can ensure that everything they worked
so hard for during their lifetime goes to the people they love.
One of the simplest of these planning tools is a will. A will is a
legal instrument that provides instructions for the distribution of
one’s property and assets when they die. A will also provides
instructions for guardianship of minor children in the event both
parents die at the same time. If a person dies without a will, they
are said to die intestate. That means their estate would be
distributed according to the probate law of the state. That’s what
happened with the Hughes estate, where the property and
assets were eventually distributed to his cousins and relatives
after years of legal proceedings.