The government will take care of it for you!
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There’s a great way that you can make the government your very best friend.
Want to know how?
Simply let Uncle Sam and his good pal Mr. IRS serve as your estate’s executor and heir, respectively.
To get started now, just follow these four easy steps:
Don’t write your will.
Without a will the court will decide how to disburse your assets. Of course, the court doesn’t know (or care) about your wishes for family and loved ones, or that you want to remember a few of your favorite charities in your will. And in some places, if you don’t have any living relatives, your entire estate could go to the state.
Don’t write your will.
Without a will, the court will select someone to handle your estate during probate. You may have selected a close friend to handle this responsibly, but the court won’t know (or care) about that.
Don’t write your will.
Without a will, the court will choose a guardian for your minor children. (Surely they’ll make a responsible, informed decision … right?)
Don’t write your will.
Without a will, the estate tax dollars that the government collects will be used for, well … anything the government chooses. (Hint: they’re probably not helping out favorite charities.)
One Last Thing
Without a will, your grieving loved ones will face the responsibility and expense of untangling your unnecessarily complicated affairs while also speculating about your gift intentions — because, without a will, they’ll have to guess. And believe me, this happened with my dad and it was a painful mess. He did not like estate planning.
Clearly, there are important reasons to write a will. Sure, it takes a little work, but it’s a lot easier than most people realize. Especially if you are using a free online will-planner.
People often get nervous about meeting with an attorney. Many worry about the expense. But an attorney specializing in wills and estate planning is exactly the right person to help you accomplish your goals and protect your family. And the peace of mind you’ll experience from a thoughtfully prepared will is well worth the effort.
Don’t want to use an attorney to write your will, or have concerns about the expense? There are many people who prefer doing it on their own, and you can create one online. Here’s a free service you can use.
Writing a will is far too important to delay—for you, for your loved ones, and for your favorite charities. Yet over 60 percent of Americans die without one.
Please don’t be one of them. Meet with a lawyer or begin forming your estate plan online for free here. It’s easier than you think.
Live well, leave well. Plan your estate for your loved ones — and plan your legacy for yourself.
