When is the right time to start writing a will?
man, um, can anybody else die this year? first michael jackson, then ted kennedy—now patrick swayze? that’s just to name a few!
what is it about the “9” in 2009 that seems to be the year of termination? weird. i have to be honest, i ain’t that old or that young, but do we baby-boomers need to start thinking about that “will?”
when or why should you write it? fearing death by natural causes or trajedy? or PARANOIA?
dude, a lot of folks are dying this year. what is going on?
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Dude, your details have nothing to do with your question.
Make sure you have a will if you have anything of value, and someone you want to make sure gets it.
Letting things fall into probate is unresponsible, but I will add I don’t have a will or estate planning done yet.
You should for sure write a will if you have children. Plus like @filmfann said…if you ahve anything of value that you want someone specific to have you best write a will.
Even if you THINK you don’t have anything of value, draw up a will NOW. You don’t have to be Donald Trump to need a will. If you’re a baby boomer, you should have done it before now. Do you have family? Property? Bank accounts? A vehicle? Surely you do. The state can come in & get it all.
@filmfann
well, actually the details have everything to do with sudden or unexpected death.
wiil=death. were you or werent you prepared?
A lot of people die every year. Just so happens that many this year were in the public eye. We can all die at any time. If you are questioning whether or not you need one, then you probably do..
You should have a will even if you are so in debt you can’t see straight. Don’t let a judge decide where your belongings go or who owes what if you are in debt. Everything you own can be sold to pay off debt including family heirlooms
You should write a will, and review it after major life changes, such as marriage, divorce, birth of children, or an increase in finances due to inheritance, financial windfalls, etc. If you own property or share finances with someone you are not married to, you need need a will. If you have children, you need to arrange guardianship in the event both you and your spouse die. If you don’t think your spouse can manage finances, you need to that straightened out. If you have family heirlooms, you need to stipulate where they go after you die, so there’s not a lot of fighting and ill will.
At the same time you write a will, have a medical durable power of attorney and a living will drawn up.
It’s so worth the money.
You need a will when you start asking yourself “do I need a will?”
Before you die. Afterwords, it gets tricky.
Mine is ten years old, and I just noticed that one of my executors is dead. So I will redo the thing, and Health Care Proxy and Medical Power of Attorney as soon as possible. It’s a gift to my family.
If you have children, you need a will. If you have concerns about how your end-of-life period will be managed, you need a living will.
That’s right, PD. Our attorney & our doctor have copies of our living wills & our directives. Our daughters have copies of our wills & the originals are in the safe. You have to CYA.
My very old mother, in addition to all the documents mentioned here, has a DNR bracelet and has prepaid and preplanned her funeral, down to the casket. She and her 94 yr old boyfriend did it together and were able to laugh.
I’m thinking now. I’m 25 with 2 children.
@gailcalled I looked up a free will form online and filled it out just now…I’m wondering if the alternate executor of the will can be the witness…what do you think
No. To be on the safe side, get your postman or neighbor and get it notarized since it is holistic.
@Simone_De_Beauvoir It changes according to the laws in your state. In New York, the alternate executor may not also be a witness.
@pdworkin bah, how can I get two random people lol to come with me to the notary
or does it not have to be notarized?
Witnessing and notarizing are two separate events, but do check your state laws. I am in New York also and know how things are done here.
Edit: That is a “holographicl” and not “holistic” will.
@gailcalled you know I think I have to talk to a lawyer as I have one kid from this marriage and one kid from a prior marriage and it’s complicated. sigh.
Today. What you have is irrelevant. A will is an opportunity to share. You cant bring it with you. A memory of who you once were. Or a way to help others.
Be it monetarily or to give closure.
“When is the right time to start writing a will?”
As soon as you own any stuff. Failing that, then as soon as you have a legal relationship to anyone else, including husbands, children and so on. It’s also a good idea to go ahead and finish it up, and not just start to write it.
I wrote my first will when I was 21. I owned a car, a bicycle, some clothes, a washer-dryer, some second-hand furniture, and a lot of books, and I figured it was the nice thing to do for my parents so they wouldn’t have to second guess what I wanted done with my stuff.
Everybody need a will. Period. and while you are at it, don’t forget a Living Will or Trust, and whether you want to be DNR, who is going to have POA over your estate, and who gets what of your possessions. And if a relative has truly hurt you beyond repair, be sure to mention what you are NOT leaving them, since vengeance from the grave is especially SWEET!
When you start living, every second after you don’t write it, is basically you living in denial then…
Same as any other year…your just noticing it.
A lawyer once told me…If you have property then get a will, if not then the government does not really want your personnal belongings,your remainging family will split any of that up between them.
Unless you write a note ( in a secure place).
One thing for sure though ..get a living will.
It is a will so to speak written to outline your wishes should you be in a accident and cannot speak for yourself.
Since it puts so much pressure on your family to decide..your living will outlines your wishes exactly and no one can disput it.
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