It's Never Too Early To Write A Will

Image: iStock

That’s quite a depressing and morbid thought for the start of the week isn’t it? It sounds like we’re saying that you could die at any moment. We're not. We’re just suggesting that you consider what happens if you did pass away. I know what you’re thinking. I eat right, I’m fit and healthy. I’ve got plenty of time before I need to write a will. Let’s ignore the fact that it doesn’t matter how many vegetables you eat, you could still be hit by a bus tomorrow. Putting that thought aside, you’ll be surprised how easy it is for time to slip away. Sometimes your eighteenth birthday seems like it happened only days ago even when you’re in your forties. It’s a harsh truth but one that you should be prepared for.

Remember, a will isn’t just for your benefit. It’s for the benefit of the people that you’ll leave behind. Here are some of the important issues to consider when writing your will.

Image: Flickr/Ken Mayer

Dividing Your Possessions

When you’re writing a will, you’ll have to think about who get’s your possessions and your financial assets. Remember, you can leave your money to whoever you want. Although most people leave their financial assets to family members, you don’t have to. You can leave your money to anyone. Although you should be aware that if you don’t write a will, it will either end up with the government or with your family. You might want to leave a lot of money to charity. The only way to ensure this happens is to write a will and you wouldn’t be the first. For instance, Bill Gates is famously known for organising most of his sizable assets to be left to different charities when he passes. Don’t feel too bad for his children though. They’ll still get quite a few million when their dad passes away. You can read the full story on http://www.onefamily.com/.

DNR AND Other Choices

Don’t forget that a will isn’t just about determining how you die. It’s also about making sure it’s clear how and in what circumstances you’d want to live. Many people hate the idea of living in a hospital, supported entirely by a machine after suffering from a coma. If you feel this way it’s important that you write this in your will. Or, other people suffering from an illness want a DNR order. To make sure a Do Not Resuscitate order is obeyed a patient must have legal backing. Again, this typically comes from a legal clause in a patient's will. You might now have realised a problem with writing a will. It involves a lot of legal issues and implications that a lay person might not understand. That’s why it’s important you contact and hire a lawyer to help write your will.

Getting The Right Lawyer

There are no fixed facts or guidelines to help you find the right lawyer to write your will. You just need to find a lawyer who you are comfortable with and you know will protect your interests. Bannister Preston are particularly invested in securing the protection for family members. If you specifically want to make sure your family is financially secure, check out http://www.bannisterpreston.co.uk/.

Keeping Your Will Secure

Finally, you may want to think about how to keep your will secure. Typically, the will is left in the hands of the lawyer. But you might also want to alert a family member of its whereabouts so you know your wishes will be respected in the event of your passing.

We hope you see now why a will is so important and that it is not something you should dismiss as a concern for the future.

This is a post that may contain affiliate links