Why do I need a will?

Discussing your Will and reasons for needing one is not a particularly fun topic. While a Will can give you peace of mind, the best reasons for drafting a Will are your surviving loved ones. When drafted properly, a Will takes into account your unique, personal assets and your relationships with the people in your life.

The state, through intestacy laws, provides a cookie-cutter “default for estate administration,” which lays out the rules for what will happen to your assets if you die without a Will. The intestacy laws are not personal to you and may not take into account some of your most precious relationships.

Ideally, everyone should have a Will. You especially need a Will if you want to leave assets to a same-sex partner, have minor children, a “blended” family, are separated from a spouse, or wish to leave money to a charitable organization. This is just a partial list of wishes that would not be carried out by the state if you died without a Will.

At Coward Hicks & Siler, we draft estate plans, including Wills, that are unique to you and protect your surviving loved ones.