Creating a will is one of the most important things you can do to care for your family after you are gone. Death does not come at a pre-planned time, and you never know when the unthinkable will happen. To ensure the care of your family and the division of your assets as you wish, you should have a will long before you think you will need it.
Every situation is different, but a will can protect your children, your spouse, your businesses and any wealth you have amassed over the years. Even if you are not particularly wealthy, you can rest easy knowing that the things you worked so hard for are given to those you love.
Minimize chaos after death
Your daughter may think she has claim to your prized book collection, but if your wife was not prepared to let it go, it may cause a fight. This is particularly common in tense, emotional situations when families are already reeling from the loss of a loved one. Creating a will ensures that there is minimal fighting between your family members about what they want and what they deserve.
Choices for minor children
If your children are young when you die, they will need a caretaker to raise them after you are gone. If you have a will, you can designate who you want to raise your kids and how your money should be divided between them.
Give to the charities you love
If you have personal values and interests that you would like to see live on after you are gone, you can specify any charitable gifts you want to make in your will. Any gift you make up to $13,000 is exempt from the estate tax so your beneficiaries and heirs also get more of what you worked so hard to create.
There is no promise of tomorrow
There is really no way to plan for your death, and although it is hard to think about, creating a will is the smart, safe thing to do when it comes to protecting your family.
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