WHY DO I NEED A WILL?

I hear this almost every day.

I hear it from the young, the old and people in between.

I hear it from people who barely scrape by and from people who a very well off.

I hear it from people who barely graduated from high school and from people who have advanced degrees.

I understand that almost 50% of lawyers don’t have wills!

I find this shocking and in almost every instance when I meet for the first time with a client I need to lay out the basics on why you need a will.

Well, here it is.

A Will is a plan for you when you die. It is your plan and personal to you. Since it’s your plan, you can change it, add to it, cancel it, prepare a new one, and just about craft the Will in any way that you desire. A Will starts out as a blank piece of paper and as I learn more about my clients, their family, and what they own I fill in the paper.  

A Will provides for 3 essential functions. First, it enables you to name a person to handle your affairs after you are gone (an “executor” or “executrix” in the old days, now a “personal representative”).

Second, a Will describes how your property is to be distributed and to whom after you are gone.

Third, a Will nominates a person as guardian/conservator for your minor children.

These functions are crucial to all of us. Sure, if you pass away without a Will the State of Michigan has laws in place that can take care of each of the 3 functions I listed above, but why rely on our State Law? Our legislators may have crafted the law in a fashion that could be entirely contrary to your wishes and desires!  

We believe it is important to plan ahead and our attorneys will work with you to educate you on the options available. Even if you already have a Will, it may need to be updated and revised.

Contact us to learn of your options. Plan ahead to ensure there are no unwanted surprises that could have easily be avoided.