Mt. Juliet and Lebanon TN
A will is written uniquely for you and your family. It spells out your final wishes and what happens to your assets, heirlooms, belongings, dependents, and pets. And it tells your family and loved ones how you want your beloved treasures divvied up. Without a will, your estate goes through the Probate court, and things may not go as you would have liked. Even though you wouldn’t be alive to see the mess of not having a will, it can be difficult and even emotional for your family to know your belongings, assets, and other things weren’t distributed as you would have wished. Therefore, today on the blog, our Mt. Juliet attorney that does wills, Yancy Belcher, shares ten reasons to get a will now.
- Save time and money for family and loved ones
When the Probate court processes your estate without a will, it can be costly and time-consuming for your family and loved ones. The court names the executor of your estate, and that responsibility may go to someone you wouldn’t have chosen.
- Decide who will execute your will
Perhaps you have a trusted loved one or family member that you’d like to be responsible for seeing that everything is handled according to your wishes. That’s what we call an executor. When you get a will, you get to name the executor instead of the court appointing one.
- Decide who gets what (or nothing at all)
You can decide how your belongings, assets, and heirlooms are divided up among your family and loved ones. Perhaps you want a specific amount of money to go to certain family members, while others get property and valuable heirlooms. Without a will, your family is left to decide who gets what, which often ends up causing arguments and can even tear families apart. Be sure to specify in your will what goes to whom. Anyone not named in your will would only get something if other named individuals decide to share their inheritance with them.
- Choose who will take care of your children
This is perhaps one of the most significant reasons adults with children need a will. Without one, the court decides who takes your children, and it may be someone you wouldn’t have chosen. Your will lets you name who will raise your kids and how they will be raised. For instance, if you want the named guardians to send your kids to private school using the money you’ve left behind, or perhaps you want a special heirloom given to one of your kids after they grow up and get married.
- Support charitable causes
If you wish to donate any part of your estate or assets to charity, you can list these wishes in your will. Otherwise, your estate goes to your next of kin, according to the state.
- Decide what happens to your pets
Pets are like family, and you likely want to ensure they are taken care of after you’re gone. You can list your wishes in your will for what you’d like to happen to your pets.
- Settle family disputes
Unfortunately, families often disagree on handling things after a loved one dies. Having a will doesn’t mean that everyone will like what is said in the will, but at least they will know that it’s your wish. There is no need to argue over things they cannot change.
- Determine what happens to your digital legacy
Once upon a time, people never thought about their digital legacy. But with nearly everything virtual, like photo storage, social media, email, and even online businesses, a will is essential in determining your digital legacy. Otherwise, these accounts are locked and inaccessible by family.
- Plan your funeral
A will allows you to plan your funeral or what happens to you after you pass. For instance, perhaps you want your funeral to be conducted by a specific person, or you want to be buried at a specific cemetery, you can spell out your wishes in your will. Additionally, perhaps you wish to be cremated. Be sure to mention your final wishes in your will.
- Have peace of mind
Losing a loved one is a challenging and emotional time. Having a will makes processing those emotions a little bit easier. Even though you won’t be around to see what happens, you can have peace of mind now by knowing that you have a will and that your family won’t have to deal with the difficulty of figuring out what to do with your possessions, money, property, pets, or dependents.
Get a Will in Nashville, Mt. Juliet, and Hermitage, Tennessee
Getting a will is one of the best gifts that you can give your family and loved ones. They’ll know exactly how to carry out your wishes without the burden of arguments and disagreements that could tear apart the family. If you’d like to learn more about getting a will or schedule a complimentary consultation, contact the Law Offices of Yancy Belcher by calling (615) 773-2889.
