I have often wondered why I work with so many clients whose loved ones didn’t have any planning documents in place before a health crisis or even worse their death.
Based on conversations with friends, family, and some previous clients, here are some of the reasons that prevent people from completing their wills:
1. I don’t own enough.
If you own a home, you own enough to have a will. If you have a car, you own enough to have a will. It’s not that hard for an attorney to prepare a simple will, naming who will wrap up your affairs and assisting you with determining who will receive your home, car, furniture, and bank accounts. And a will or “estate plan” can help protect those you love.
2. It’s too hard to figure out.
It can be hard to figure out who gets what. But, the time you spend worrying about how to figure out what you want can be better used by working through these puzzles with an attorney. Estate attorneys spend most days helping people figure out who gets what. Sometimes a simple solution is readily apparent once the conversation is started. Give it a try – you might be pleasantly surprised, that what seemed difficult actually isn’t too hard to resolve.
3. I don’t care.
If you don’t care – why are you reading this? Most people really do care, but it’s overwhelming to figure all of this out. And “I don’t care” is a wonderful way to step away from taking action. But, if you love or even just like the people in your life, the best way to take care of your friends and family is to work with an attorney and write a will.
Everyone I work with either says, I’m so glad this is done. Or they tell me, this was much easier than I thought it would be and I’m so glad this is done. I assure you, you won’t be sorry to have this behind you.