Three Reasons You Need A Will Even If You Don't Have A Lot Of Assets

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It's a common misconception that you only need to create a will if you have a lot of assets that need distributed. However, your Last Will and Testament serves several purposes in addition to paying your bills and distributing your assets after your death, such as documents that communicate your funeral and burial wishes. The fact is, writing a will makes dealing with the aftermath of your death easier on your loved ones. Everyone, even those who haven't accumulated a lot of assets, should have a will that covers these three issues.

Custody of Minor Children

When you write your will, you need to appoint a guardian for any minor children that you have, as well as set up a trust for their support in your will. In most cases, the first option for your children's care falls to the other parent. However, you need to list a guardian other than your children's other parent in case that parent isn't part of the kids' lives, isn't capable of caring for them, or has passed away before you.

Listing a guardian for your children tells the court your preferences for your children's custody after your death and why you chose the option you did. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that custody will be awarded to the guardian listed in your will. The court takes your wishes into consideration when determining custody, but your children are not physical belongings. So, the court weighs the information in your will against any other significant information available before deciding what is best for the children. While you may not agree with the process, writing a will is still important. Without it, your options regarding your children's custody aren't considered at all, and your children may end up in the middle of a court battle if multiple relatives decide to fight for their custody.

Burial and Funeral Preferences

Whether you choose to plan and pay for your funeral and burial before your death, or you have a life insurance plan in place to cover the expense, your will needs to cover the topic. You need to include items, such as where you'd like to be buried and what type of memorial or funeral service you want.

If you want to be cremated after your death, you will should include a Consent for Cremation. The consent form is typically signed in front of multiple witnesses so that the court can easily verify its validity, and in some states it's required to be signed in front of a Notary Public. The Consent for Cremation also relays your final wishes for what to do with your remains after cremation. Because the cremation process is outlined by the state that you live in, and not all funeral homes handle cremation, you should consider speaking with a few funeral homes like Marine Park Funeral Home Inc in your area before you write your will to ensure that everything is handled properly.

Life-Prolonging Medical Treatments

A living will is an extremely important part of your Last Will and Testament because it communicates your preferences regarding life-prolonging medical treatments. It's often difficult for families to decide whether living on life support is the best option for a loved one. Writing a living will allows you to make the decision yourself, making a tough decision easier for your family.

Ultimately, whether or not you want to write a will is your decision. However, if you want your wishes carried out after your death and you want to make important decisions easier on your family, you should consider writing a will even if you haven't accumulated a lot of assets.

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9 April 2015

Planning Your Loved One’s Funeral

A couple of weeks ago, one of my dear family friend’s suffered the loss of her husband. After a brief illness, he passed away at a local hospital. Immediately after his passing, she started planning the funeral arrangements. She didn’t want his funeral to be a sad occasion. Instead, she wanted the service to celebrate his amazing life. She worked tirelessly with the professional staff at a local funeral home in order to plan the order and type of service for the funeral. On this blog, you will discover tips for planning a funeral service that will celebrate the life of your deceased loved one.