Make Sure You Have A Will

Something that we all need is a will. I know that you think you’ll never die but sooner or later it happens to all of us. We don’t want to leave our loved ones with a mess to clean up.

It would be a shame to have your finances in good order and skip this step. After all, once you have escaped the debt treadmill you’ll have saved up a considerable amount of money to leave to those you care about.

I am not an expert on this subject; I just want to remind you that you should not forget this step of your financial planning and try to get you started in the right direction.

The following is some brief, far from all encompassing, information concerning wills.

If you do not have a will, state laws will determine what happens to your property. Generally the states distribute your assets to your spouse and children. If you do not have any relatives that apply under the state statutory formula the state gets what you have left behind.

A lawyer is not necessary to make a will. You can contact a lawyer to ask specific questions, to make the entire will or you can make the will yourself.

Witnesses to attest your will are required with the number of witnesses varying by state. Most state laws require that the witnesses not be interested in the estate or be heirs to the estate.

The important thing is for you to make a will and it is not as hard as it seems. You can make your own will and have it witnessed or go to a lawyer who'll be glad to give you a hand for a fee.

Will forms and instructions are available at USLegalForms. These forms come with complete instructions for the state that you reside in and you can fill them out and have them witnessed. Instructions are provided with these forms to guide you in successfully filling out your will.

In addition to a will, make sure all of your beneficiary designations are up to date. These little things can seem like climbing a mountain for your loved ones left behind.


Return from Wills to the Finance For Families Site Index.