Why do you need a will?

On Behalf of | Dec 22, 2018 | Estate Planning |

You may think that the only people in Georgia who need to worry about estate planning are the elderly, but that is not true. All adults should take the step of making out a will. The reason is that life is unpredictable and death does not discriminate by age. If you were to pass away in your 30s or 40s with no will in place, it can cause difficulty for the loved ones you leave behind.

A will is especially important if you have children. If you were to pass on while still in your 30s or 40s, your children may still be quite young and in need of a guardian to care for them. FindLaw points out that, by naming a guardian for your children in your will, you can ensure that your dependents will be in the care of someone you trust. On the other hand, if you do not have a will that names a guardian for your children, the court will have no choice but to choose a guardian from among your surviving family members or a state-appointed guardian. In either case, the ultimate choice may be counter to how you would have chosen for your offspring. 

Another reason to have a will is to protect the inheritance rights of a romantic partner to whom you are not married. If you want such a partner to inherit your possessions after you die, expressing your wishes in a legally binding will all but guarantees his or her inheritance rights. On the other hand, if you die without a will, the intestate succession laws of your state determine how to distribute your possessions after your death, and such laws typically favor spouses and relatives over unmarried partners. 

You may be reluctant to write out a will at a young age because the circumstances of your life are likely to change and the will may become obsolete. While this is true, it is possible for you to revise your will while you are still alive in order to reflect the changes in your circumstances. There is no limit as to when or how often you can change your will. 

The information in this article is not intended as legal advice but provided for educational purposes only.