Will Writing - Legal Terms
If you are new to Wills or not exposed to legal terms, you might be confused of the different legal jargon used for Will writing. Here are simple explanations to help the laymen understand them. Read the definitions here and you will be able to understand these terms when preparing your Will.
Administrators – Those appointed to administer an estate where there is no Will or no Executor. A general term for both executors or administrators is personal representative.
Beneficiary - An individual or organisation named in the Will, who benefits from your Will
Codicil – A document making minor changes to your Will. It must be signed and witnessed in the same way as your Will
Chattels - Tangible assets other than immovable property
Estate – Everything that belongs to you, and owed to you, at the time of your death
Executor (female executrix) – someone who will carry out the instructions in your Will. Their duties include getting the grant of probate, collection of assets, calculate and pay income tax, debts and finally to distribute your assets according to your Will. The executor holds legal title to your assets during the probate process
Grant of Probate – a grant from the court confirming the appointment of the executor/s named in the Will, and that the Will has been proven and registered in court.
Guardian - people you nominate to take care of any minor children, in case both you or your spouse die at the same time
Immovable Property – assets that cannot be moved physically, i.e. land and buildings
Intestacy – a person who dies without making a valid Will is said to die intestate
Letters of Administration with Will Annexed – where there is a Will, but where the executors appointed has either passed away, is unwilling or unable to act, or no executor was named at all, then letters of administration with Will annexed must be obtained. The procedure is very similar to obtaining letters of administration.
Testator - the person making the Will.
Trustee - a person or entity who holds property on behalf of others, usually for the beneficiaries
Will - a document that simply states your last instructions. Sometimes also called Will and Testament
That’s basically all the definitions you’ll need when writing a will.
如果您不熟悉遗嘱或未接触过法律条款，您可能会对用于遗嘱写作的不同法律术语感到困惑。这里有一些简单的解释，以帮助外行理解它们。阅读此处的定义，您将能够在准备遗嘱时理解这些术语。
管理人——被任命管理没有遗嘱或执行人的遗产的人。遗嘱执行人或管理人的统称是个人代表。
受益人 - 遗嘱中指定的从您的遗嘱中受益的个人或组织
Codicil – 一份对您的遗嘱进行细微修改的文件。它必须以与您的遗嘱相同的方式签署和见证
动产——不动产以外的有形资产
遗产——在您去世时属于您和欠您的一切
执行人（女性执行人）——将执行您遗嘱中指示的人。他们的职责包括获得遗嘱认证、收集资产、计算和支付所得税、债务，最后根据您的遗嘱分配您的资产。遗嘱执行人在遗嘱认证过程中对您的资产拥有合法所有权
授予遗嘱认证——法院授予确认遗嘱中指定的遗嘱执行人的任命，并且该遗嘱已在法庭上得到证明和登记。
监护人 - 您指定照顾未成年子女的人，以防您或您的配偶同时去世
不动产 – 无法物理移动的资产，即土地和建筑物
无遗嘱——一个人在没有立有效遗嘱的情况下去世，被称为死后无遗嘱
附有遗嘱的遗产管理书——如果有遗嘱，但指定的遗嘱执行人要么已经去世，要么不愿或不能行事，要么根本没有指定遗嘱执行人，则必须获得附有遗嘱的遗产管理书。该程序与获得管理书非常相似。
遗嘱人——立遗嘱的人。
受托人——代表他人持有财产的个人或实体，通常是为受益人
遗嘱 - 一份简单说明您最后指示的文件。有时也称为遗嘱和遗嘱
这基本上就是您在写遗嘱时需要的所有定义。