There is a common misconception among the public that the only people who actually need a will are the elderly or people who work in high-risk professions. While those both of those demographics certainly do need wills, they are far from the only ones.
You Need A Will If:
Do you have children? If so, you need a will. While you may assume that in the event of both you and your spouse dying simultaneously, your parents would take guardianship over your children, this is an incorrect assumption. Unless explicitly written in a will, the court will decide who is granted guardianship of your children. In these cases, your children could be temporarily placed with a family member you would not approve yourself, or even placed in state custody while guardianship is being decided.
Also, while you may think that everyone in your extended family would agree with your decision that your children be placed with your parents, grief often makes people act in ways that are out of their character. Unless specifically written in your will, your great-aunt could apply for guardianship, thus creating an even messier, more time consuming case in which your children would be in limbo even longer as a decision for guardianship is made.
Do you have assets? If you own a house, a car, a savings account, or stocks, then the answer is yes, you do. Once again, unless explicitly written in your will, those assets are divided up based on how the Alabama legislature designated your heirs and not necessarily how you would have left your assets.
How many times have you heard stories about families who used to get along fighting over material objects, especially money, after a loved one passes? Unfortunately, this is not that uncommon. As previously stated, grief can bring out different sides to someone’s personality. This is why it is imperative that you create a will in which all of your individual assets are assigned to those you wish to inherit them in the event of your death.
Do you own a pet? This is one aspect of having a will in which many people do not consider, but similar to the guardianship of children, guardianship of your fur baby can also be a point of contention within families. If you have beloved pet, you need to specify in your will who you would like to be granted ownership.
Takeaway:
These are just a few examples of why age should not be a deterrent in creating a will. Tragedy strikes when we least expect it, and if you fit into any of the above categories, we highly suggest you make an appointment with an attorney to have a will drafted. Not only will having a will give you peace of mind in knowing where guardianship and assets will be placed, but it will also give your family one less thing to worry about in the midst of grieving.
< back