Alaska has officially joined the short list of states (North Dakota, Arkansas and Ohio) that allow people to safe-guard their wills against challenges after death.
The law, signed this month by Governor Sean Parnell, allows people to “prove” a will in probate and also have trusts declared valid. The idea is that this will protect against relatives or other persons from challenging their intentions.
Many wills and trusts are challenged each year by beneficiaries or would-be beneficiaries. Such battles cause huge problems and the person who left the legacy is no longer there to testify that the document actually says what he intended. There are four ways to contest a will; claim the person who made it was incapacitated, under duress, unduly influenced or didn’t follow proper rules.