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Archiver > TMG > 2001-05 > 0988748802


From: Terry Reigel <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Will Beneficiaries - Using Roles
Date: Tue, 01 May 2001 16:26:42 -0400
References: <NEBBJKJGGLJCLAMJOLJKOEHECDAA.sdgkelley@email.msn.com>


Sandy Kelley wrote:

> I am new, new, new. I have accessed the will tag and added roles in lower
> left hand corner of the will tag. If I use it this way I will enter many
> will tags for each person.

I don't understand what you mean here.

> Do you use a colon on the "witness" role and
> break it down to the specific role? (I know that works in Quicken!) Help.

No -- here's the procedure, per your request, and several others. I was hoping I
had put something on roles up on my website, and when I checked and saw I hadn't
I could see I need to. Anyway, here's the first draft:


Overview --

You create (or modify the existing) will tag so that you can easily include all
the players mentioned in the will. That tag is entered for the person who wrote
the will, and all the other players are entered as "witnesses." This causes the
will tag to show up in each person's Person View, and if you choose, a mention
of their role will appear in narrative type reports. Here's how I do it.

Modify the Will Tag Type --

Click on the + button to open the Tag Type List. Select the existing Will tag
and click edit (or create a new tag) which takes you to Tag Type Definition
Screen. Here you can edit the existing default sentences for this tag, and add
the new ones for the new roles.

For the Principal, I use the sentence:
[P] left a will <[D]> <[L]><, [M]>

For the Witness, I use:
[W] was a witness to the will of [P]< dated [D]> <[L]><[M0]>
(That's M-zero, to suppress the memo, in case you have the memo options
turned in the Report definition.)

These may be the default sentences, I don't recall.

Next, create the new roles, and define sentences for them. Start by clicking
Add, and in the New Role box enter the name, like Heir. Once the Role is
created, you enter the sentence for it. You then repeat for each additional Role
you want to create. Here are the roles and sentences I use:

Heir: [W] was named an heir in the will of [P]< dated [D]> <[L]><[M0]>

Executor: [W] was named an executor in the will of [P]< dated [D]> <[L]><[M0]>
(female sentence) [W] was named an executrix in the will of [P]< dated [D]>
<[L]><[M0]>

Heir & Executor: [W] was named executor and an heir in the will of [P]< dated
[D]> <[L]><[M0]>
(female sentence) [W] was named executrix and an heir in the will of [P]<
dated [D]> <[L]><[M0]>

Mentioned: [W] was mentioned in the will of [P] dated <[D]> <[L]><[M0]>

When you are done, click OK, and you are ready to test. Go to any existing will
tag and modify it to use the new roles, or create a new one. Enter the data,
then print a test report to check that the wording works to your liking, and go
back to the Tag Type Definition Screen to modify any sentences if needed.

Usage "Rules" ---

Enter the Testator (the one whole wrote the will) as the principal.

Enter the date signed in the date field.

I enter a summary of the terms, including the heirs and all, in the Memo. That
way it prints nicely in the Principal's reports (You could construct a sentence
using the Role names to avoid entering those names in the Memo - but it's
difficult to make it read well that way.) You could put the probate info here,
but I prefer using a separate tag for that, thereby "bracketing" the death date.

For each person mentioned in the will that you want that fact recorded in their
own narratives, add that person as a "witness" using the appropriate Role. To do
that, click on the + button at the bottom of the Tag Entry Screen to open the
Add Witness Method box. Choose the button to identify the person as you prefer,
and you end up with the Witness Entry Screen. Click on the Role drop-down and
select the appropriate role. This will bring up the default sentence you have
created for that role. Normally that should be adequate, but if required, you
can edit it for the specific individual. Click OK, and repeat for each
additional person involved.

Hope this helps -- Since I intend to put this up on my website (probably after I
get back from a weeks vacation) any feedback or suggestions on how to make it
more clear are welcome.

Terry Reigel

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