We are going to make this very simple. If you are over the age of 18, you need a will. You need a will to protect your own interests and you need a will to protect the interests of your family and friends.
There are many different types of wills. Here, we are specifically talking about a Last Will and Testament. Below we have provided our Top 5 Reasons Why You Need a Will. There are more than 5 reasons why you should write a will, but we are confident that these 5 will get our point across.
1. Decide who gets your assets and property.
If you don’t have a will, the state will decide how your estate is divided. If you create a will, you get to make these choices. Yes, this means you can choose to give all of your money to your kids, your friends, to charity, or a combination of the three. You can also make sure that people you don’t want to gain anything from your estate, don’t inherit your property by default.
2. Decide who will take care of your children.
If you are a mom or dad, this should be reason #1. A will allows you to decide who should take care of your children. If you don’t have a will, the court will choose among family members or a state-appointed guardian. A will lets you state who you want to care for your kiddos—or maybe more importantly—who you don’t want to raise your children.
3. Decide what happens to your pets.
Dog & cat moms and dads, this one is for you. If you have a pet, your will can help take care of them after you die. The law considers your pet property (don’t worry we know they are family). This means you can name someone to leave your pet to (with their permission of course). You can even set up a pet trust to pay for your pet’s future care.
4. Provide funeral instructions.
We know you don’t want to think about your own funeral—or maybe you do—that makes our job easy! Do you want to be cremated or be buried in your church’s cemetery? Do you want a scheduled viewing or would you prefer your friends throw a party? Funeral instructions (or what we like to call End of Life Events) attached to your will can help guide your family and friends when planning stressful end of life events.
5. Take control of your online accounts.
Do you have online accounts like an email, Facebook, or digital photos? Your will can include a digital executor who will manage these accounts on your behalf. You can provide your digital executor with directions on how to manage all of your accounts generally, or provide specific details.
At Daly Law, LLC, we can help you create a Last Will and Testament. Check out our flat fee estate planning packages and schedule a free consultation.
Disclaimer: The Daly Law, LLC blog is written for educational purposes. We provide general information about the law but not specific legal advice. There is no attorney-client relationship between you and Daly Law, LLC. For legal advice, please consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction. Content in this blog should not be relied upon for legal research, as the law is subject to change. The Daly Law, LLC blog includes advertisements for our services.