Do you really need a Last Will & Testament?

Most people agree that they need a will, but it is something they never could get to.  For one thing, most of us don’t have an attorney we can just ring up and schedule a free consultation with.

Perhaps you haven’t really thought about a will.  Think again.  Do you own a home or other property? Have a business? A classic car collection?  Investments or other assets?  A bank account? Starting a family?

Making a will is especially important for people with young children, because wills are the best way to transfer guardianship of minors.

But everyone knows that.  Right?

Fact:      80% of Americans do not have a will (whether up-to-date, or obsolete).

Fact:      The American Bar Association (ABA) found that 50% of attorneys do not have a will.

Fact:      The state you live in doesn’t mind that you don’t have a will.  They don’t care about your family.

Fact:      If you have young children, you need a will to protect them from becoming wards of the court.

Fact:      You can finally afford real legal counsel in creating your will, and updating it annually.

The thing is, statistics show only around 20% of the American adult population has a will.  And what statistics can’t say is whether the 20% of people who do have a will actually have one that is up-to-date and relevant.

Maybe you have a trust, so you think you are already covered.

You still need a will, since most trusts deal only with specific assets, such as life insurance or a piece of property, but not the sum total of your holdings.

The bottom line is there is a good chance that you need a will, and you are part of the 80% who haven’t gotten around to it yet.  If so, what are you waiting for?

Let’s face it.  If you die without one, the state you live in decides who gets what, without regard to your wishes or your heirs' needs.  And, if you do have underage children, do you really want the state deciding what will happen to them?

Now there is a way to have a will that real legal counsel helps you to draw up.  And every year you have the opportunity to revisit it to make sure it includes any changes that have transpired.

Don’t get caught without one!  Your Last Will & Testament speaks your wishes clearly and legally, but only if you have one that's up-to-date and drafted properly.