Why Does Everyone Need a Will?

You love your family, right? You should do them a favor: Create and file a will. And do it now. You should not wait to take this important step, which will provide protection for your family in the future.

The bottom line: Everyone should have a will.

A will gives you the final say over what happens to your property, or in legal language, your “estate.” It does not matter whether you have a large or small estate. After you pass away, life will be much easier for your family if you leave behind a will.

If you do not have a will, a court will dictate how your estate is handled and determine who gets what. In other words, a judge who has never met you or your loved ones will divide your financial assets and other property that you leave behind. If your family members do not agree with the judge’s decision, they can fight it. However, your family may find that contesting the judge’s orders is difficult and costly.

Additionally, if you do not have a will, only your family members can receive your property. When no will exists, a probate judge will need to follow a state law that names a succession of surviving family members as heirs. This is called “intestate succession.” A close friend, professional mentor, school or charity will not be among those heirs.

Without a will, you leave your loved ones with potential legal disputes, legal bills and headaches instead of a careful plan for taking care of things the way you wish. Don’t do this to the people you care about.

When Do You Need a Will?

Do you own a house or a car? Do you have a second home outside of Florida? Did a family heirloom pass down to you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should have a will.

For example, if you own a second home outside of Florida, and you have not created and filed a will, then what happens to that home after you die will be up to a judge in the state where it is located.

It is a simple fact: Life can end at any point in time. You can get into a car accident, for instance, or you can suffer a fatal stroke or heart attack. For this reason, it is never too early to think about the disposition of your estate after you pass away.

You must be 18 years old to execute a will or any legal document in Florida. Typical milestones that prompt adults to create a will include:

• Getting married
• Having a child
• Buying a house
• Starting a business
• Having a brush with death.

The time to get a will is when you have anything of value and anyone you would like to pass it on to if something should happen to you. In short, the best time to get a will is now.

To learn more about how the estate planning attorneys of Buckman & Buckman can help you,  contact us today. We would be glad to provide a confidential consultation.