BE RESPONSIBLE. GET A WILL.

Are you one of the approximately 70% of Americans who do not have a Will? Have you considered the consequences of not having one? If you do not plan for what will happen to your property after you pass away, then someone else will get to decide what happens to it. If you have young children and you do not have plans for what might happen to them should you be in a life-ending accident, then someone else gets to make those decisions.

If you do not have an estate plan that at a minimum includes just a basic Will, then who gets your property after you pass away is determined by state law. In most cases, your property will go to your closest living relatives. For some people that might seem like an OK solution. But, what if you want to leave something to a niece or nephew? No matter how small the inheritance you want to leave them, you will need an estate plan to leave them anything if you have closer living relatives. In a Will, you can also appoint a guardian for your children. If you do not do so, then the Probate Court has to name someone. You cannot count on the Court naming the same person you would name.

There is no reason not to have a Will. Talk to an estate planning attorney about becoming one of the responsible 30% of Americans who have one.