We all have people that we care about and don’t want to leave them in the dark when it comes to our final wishes. If you do not write down what you would like done, chances are there will be no way for these people to know how they should handle things unless someone else happens to tell them or leaves specific instructions behind. 

Via Pexels

Why Is It Important

A will is a document that dictates what happens to your property after you die. It also names an executor of your estate, the person who is in charge of making sure it gets done. A will ensures that your wishes are carried out, and no matter how much money you have, without a will, someone else can be given control over it all.

A will is important because it ensures that your wishes are carried out after you die. It also prevents someone from taking control of everything if no one else is aware of what you wanted to happen. This may be good for some but not so much for others who do not want certain people gaining access to their money or property, especially those with children from previous marriages. The last will can ensure that even if something were to go wrong, the right person ends up in charge of things when they need them most.

Reduce Family Feuds

The consequences of not having a will are very real, and they can end up causing more trouble than expected! Writing your Will ensures that everyone knows how you would like things handled when it’s time for you to leave this world. It reduces the potential for family fights later on leaving behind an unpleasant situation or unnecessary costs surrounding funeral arrangements without proper paperwork. If someone wants any part of your estate they’ll need legal action which costs money; writing these issues down before death eliminates all problems at no additional cost whatsoever!

The more complex your estate, the more important it is to have a will. When you die without a valid will or you make one that isn’t legal, rules called intestacy laws come into play and determine what happens with your assets. These can often be very unfair depending upon who gets left out in the cold when you pass away. Worse still, some people could end up fighting over family heirlooms like paintings or jewelry because their ownership wasn’t clearly stated in an enforceable way.

Funeral wishes

This is a complicated topic, and many people wonder if they’ll ever really need a will. Although it may be difficult to think about your death when you are young or healthy, these wishes can become very important in the future. If you don’t have a valid will in place before something happens to you, there is no way for your family members or friends to know what your final wishes were. This could cause major problems around funeral arrangements after an unfortunate event occurs. Funeral wishes should be included as well since if there isn’t proper guidance then chances are nobody outside the immediate blood relatives knows what the person’s final wishes are. So make sure to leave behind any song requests or anything in particular that you would like for your send off. 

Custody of Children

It is vital to make sure your kids are well taken care of after you have departed by writing down who should have custody rights in case something happens to both parents so that your children don’t end up with no guidance whatsoever and potentially lost without some sort of legal document such as a Will which gives specific information about who gets what and when.

If you are divorced or separated, make sure you update your will regarding custody of your children. No one wants to have to be fighting in court for years should no instructions be left and your children won’t want to end up in foster care after losing a parent. 

Pets

Some people consider their pets fur kids, so be sure to leave instructions as to what your wishes are considering your pets. If nothing specific is mentioned and no one steps up to take them, your beloved animals could end up at a shelter.

Your Legacy

If you do not have children or any family members left behind, then consider having your assets donated to a charity of your choice. this would be a lovely gesture that people can remember you by.

Digital Assets

These days everyone has so many social media accounts or a huge digital footprint. be sure to state in your will what you would like done regarding these accounts, either shut them down or monitor them.

Significant Others

Anyone who fails to include a spouse in his or her will risk having their assets distributed under state law instead of with the wishes they had stated if there’s no living spouse when death occurs. So while married couples may not need wills just for estate planning purposes, all unmarried people should protect themselves by writing wills even though it might seem unnecessary at first glance.

How to Draw up A Will

A good estate planning lawyer can help you with all aspects involved with writing up this important legal document. They can make sure all details are handled correctly which means less worry for those left behind. They work closely with clients helping them choose just the right wording. If you are not able to get one professionally drawn up, you can do it yourself, just make sure it is legal and recognised. 

It is far easier for family members and close friends to understand why certain steps were taken after reading through an organized document than having something explained verbally at the time of death. This minimizes potential frustration between those involved as well as a confusion since everyone can refer back to legal documentation instead of relying on memories alone! The peace of mind that comes with having end-of-life plans in place is well worth the effort to draft a will.