Lawyer Urges Care in Drafting Wills, Warns Beneficiaries Could Lose Inheritance

Attorney-at-law Chevy Devonish has cautioned that people named as beneficiaries in a will could lose their intended inheritance if they sign the document as witnesses, highlighting the legal pitfalls that can complicate the administration of estates.

Devonish issued the warning during a legal clinic on estates hosted by the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union (GPSCCU) on Thursday at its building on Hadfield Street. The clinic examined beneficiaries’ rights, the probate of wills and the process of obtaining letters of administration, while addressing common difficulties families encounter when a loved one dies.

Using the example of a husband leaving property to his wife under a will, Devonish explained that the intended beneficiary should not witness the document, as doing so could invalidate the gift made to that person.