But what if you die?

Have you prepared your spouse and family for your death? In other words, do you have a Will in a place? If you do, thank you, you are relieving your family and spouse of even more stress when you die. If you don't, get one but you're not alone.

 A recent study found that 57% of Americans do not have a Will in place.

JP and I finalized our Wills today. I had it in a draft form for the last few months and today we got it notarized and done. Why didn't I do this sooner? I have been wanting to get this done for years but just never got around to it. And maybe that is your excuse too. I challenge you all to make 2020 the year to get this done. It is so important and in the event you do die, this relieves your family of the additional stress they will have to go thru if you do not have one.

So, let's go thru some of the reasons people say they do not have a Will.

"Getting a Will is expensive and you need a lawyer." 

-Nope and likely nope. Getting a Will in place is relatively low in price and so many sites out there that can help you. If you are a podcast listener, you may have even heard a commercial for a discount for Wills. I know that Dave Ramsey regularly does this and he recommends, US Legal Forms. This site starts at about $60 but if you listen to his show or go to an event, they usually plug in a sale for buy one, get one. JP and I used Mama Bear. I cannot remember which podcast recommended this one, but it was very easy to get done and you have 180 days to complete once you have purchased it. This one was $129 per person, but for 2 we paid about $185.
Do you need a lawyer? Probably not. Most of us have simple assets, simple accounts and do not need a lawyer. But if you have assets in multiple countries, millions of dollars, own a small business or are remarried, then you may need a lawyer. In my opinion, using Mama Bear was so easy and straight forward, but if you find yourself confused and unable to understand how to complete your Will, then I would recommend a lawyer for you too. Don't fret if you do need a lawyer, lawyers are not always expensive and there are even some that come to you at little cost.

"Only the wealthy need to get a Will." 

-So completely untrue; everyone needs a Will. A Will allows you to decide what not only happens to you when you die but what happens to your possessions. We have our cats in our Will, my brother Harold is getting them all because he loves cats so much. Just kidding, Harold... but they are in our Will. To put down where you want your items to go upon your death is a thoughtful thing to do. Death can bring out the ugly in family and people can fight over the simplest of things, don't let that happen to your family.

"I am young and have plenty of time." 

or

"I am too old."

-Accidents happen and you could die before your Will is in place. It doesn't matter if you are only in your 20s, 50s, 80s... whatever. Getting your Will in place is also empowering and a responsible thing to do as an adult. Get it done. Age is just an excuse and a poor one at that.

Those are just the excuses that I have heard recently. Do you know what happens when you do not have a Will in place? If you do not have a Will in place and your estate has a higher value than you realize, the state takes over and decides how to divide it up. And the state does not do this free, they charge your estate. Going thru probate is different in each state, but it is the same consequence to your family, stressful. 

When signing up to get your Will you will need to make sure you do it in the state you live in. If you move to a different state, you will need to get a new Will in place. While your original Will is still useful and binding, the new state you reside in may have differences that void out some parts of your Will. It is smarter to get a new Will in place if you move to a new state.

Make 2020 the year you get a Will in place.

What is your excuse for not getting a Will? Do you have questions of your own? Be sure to comment and subscribe.