Why You Need to Write a Will

“Alright,” we can just hear you thinking. “Here we go again. So, tell me. WHY do I NEED to write a will?” Yes, you have probably heard that you need to write a last will and testament before. And, just like other important tasks that are easily put off until later, you have probably filed the suggestion away and told yourself “I’ll do it later.”

The problem is, most of the time, “later” often comes too late. By putting off until tomorrow what you could take care of today, you wrangle control from your own hands. Those who pass away in Florida without a valid last will and testament are subjecting their estate and their loved ones to go through unnecessary hardships and the laws of intestate succession.

This article will highlight a few of the critical reasons that building a solid estate plan, including a valid last will and testament, is so important. Read on to get some solid general information. For nuanced, official legal advice tailored to your needs, contact an experienced wills & probate attorney with Suncoast Civil Law.

1.       Keep Your Control: Avoid Intestate Law

When you pass away your estate will be passed on to someone. It will. How that happens and who your estate goes to will depend on how you stipulate that inheritance to happen via your last will and testament/other estate planning tools.

If you fail to create a valid last will and testament, that does not stop inheritance from happening. Instead, it merely creates a situation where your voice is not heard in that process. Without a will, the courts and your estate will have nothing to fall back on except the terms of Florida’s intestate law. Intestate law will divide your estate among beneficiaries in a way that might differ very much from how you would want it to be divided.

It also bears keeping in mind that when you create a last will and testament/build an estate plan you are able to designate who you want serving as the personal representative of your estate. This is the person who will be handling/managing your estate, and ensuring that the terms of distribution are met. It is important to put a trustworthy person at the helm. By proactively naming your representative, you will be able to ensure that the role goes to someone willing and capable to do a good job.

2.       About the Money

It is said that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. What is assuredly true, is if you fail to write a will/build an estate plan, you should plan on parting ways with more of your money than necessary. There are many ways that a wills & probate attorney can help you craft your estate plan to avoid unnecessary taxes your estate may otherwise find itself liable to pay. There are also estate planning tools that can simplify the inheritance process in various ways at various stages. You can even give in the way you want to, not in a way you are required to. You can assign charities to receive gifts from your estate, for instance. Contact an experienced wills & probate attorney to learn more.

3.        Certainty in Uncertain Times

There are many decisions that you are uniquely qualified to make. In a last will and testament, parents or legal guardians can list who they want to take custody of their minor children. They can plan out how those children will be provided for, address needs in advance before it ever becomes a crisis with those left behind unsure of where to turn. Proactively writing a will, building an estate plan, can help to eliminate uncertainties.

Contact Suncoast Civil Law

Contact our office for more information on how one of our experienced Sarasota will & probate attorneys at Suncoast Civil Law can assist you in your case.

Source:

floridabar.org/public/consumer/pamphlet026/