Reason You Should Not Have a Will
- Brian Walsh
- Jan 23, 2024
- 3 min read
There is only one good reason that you should not have a will. You are under the age of 18 and/or still in college and pretty much own nothing. Ok, maybe 1 other reason, you are super rich and have everything you own and manage in a trust. Outside of that, there is absolutely no good reason for you not to have a will. Why?
1) Don't Let the State Decide: You do not want the state deciding what to do with your stuff! Can you name one thing any government has done fast and done right? When you pass away without a will it is up to the state to decide how to divide your assets up. Known as "intestate." Now laws vary greatly by state, but do not wait for this to happen. 54% of Americans (according to a Gallup Poll, link below) admit to not having a will.
Imagine your family is dealing with your loss and now you are forcing them to have to deal with the government to decide how everything is divided up. I have an older gentleman who has told me he does not have one. His daughter currently lives with him and he plans for her to just take the house. Now his daughter will have to deal with not only the loss of her father but also the government. You do not want to do this to your family.
2) Peace For Your Family: Talking about dying is not fun, I know, we generally do not want to think about that possibility. However, we must face the facts and allow our family to grieve without worrying about all that follows. If you are over the age of 18, chances are you have a car, a bank account, and a few things. It takes just a few hundred bucks to draw up a will and get it signed (follow your state laws here). I think we can all agree the cost is worth the peace it will bring to your family.
3) Take Control: I know when I pass I want to know who is going to care for our kids, how our money is going to be distributed, and who gets what. For me, that gives me peace. I also want to make sure that I honor God appropriately and leave him 10% of my assets at death. These are just a few things that I want to be sure are in place. I know that no government official or lawyer is going to care what I want, they are just going to follow the law and probably take their share of the pot, while giving God none of it.
If you do not have a will, do me a favor and take some action this week. At least go to Mama Bear legal forms or legal Zoom or any place online to draw up a simple will. Give your family the peace they deserve should you suddenly pass. I pray that you live a long life and that your family does not have to deal with that, but we all know that it is inevitable at some point and we never know when our time is up. So give your family the peace they deserve should they lose you.
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