In the UK, 54% of adults don’t have a will. 6 in 10 parents don’t, and people over 55 are three times as likely to write a will than younger demographics. Our own death isn’t something that any of us are comfortable thinking about, and most of us would rather avoid it at all costs.
But, as we’re all currently learning in a rather uncomfortable way, you never know what might happen. The world is vastly different from the easy world of three months ago when we were all going about our lives as usual, with no thought of wearing masks to go to the shops. In late 2019, most of us had never heard of the term “social-distancing”, and now it’s something that we are all living with.
This sudden change to our everyday lives has given us all a lot to think about. While hopefully, with care, most of us will come out of this physically well, it is making us all, as a civilisation, far more aware of our own limitations. Life can be short. It can be hard. And it can certainly take us by surprise.
So, while you are thinking about your own mortality, maybe it’s also time to start thinking about writing a will. Here is a look at just some of the reasons why you should get in touch with Bannister Preston and their will writing experts today.
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You Never Know
The main reason why we should all have a will, no matter how old we are, what our health situation is, or who we have in our lives, is that we never know what will happen. You never know when your health could change, or when you may be involved in an accident. You don’t know when your family might grow, and the world has a habit of throwing things at us when we are least expecting them.
If you make a will when you are young and single, you may want to update it as your family grows or your financial situation changes, but it’s easier to change one than it is to write one, and even if you forget to make regular updates, at least you’ll always have something in place.
A Will Isn’t Just About Your Estate
The main reason that people make wills is to clearly define what will happen to their money, as well as any property or possessions that they own after their death. But, this certainly isn’t the only thing that your will can do. It can make clear what you want to happen to your body after your death, you can leave instructions for your business, and for what you might want to happen to your estate further down the line, you can even add stipulations.
Your will doesn’t even have to come into effect after your death. You can use it to make clear any monies that you’d like used to pay for your care as you get older.
As well as this, all parents should make a will to make clear their intentions regarding their children’s future. You can talk about who you want your children to live with, any requests for their education or financial future, as well as other instructions that you may have.
A Will Gives You Control
Your will gives you control even after your death. You’ll know that your money and anything else that you own, will be used in the way that you would like, without having to worry about what your family members might choose to do.
It Can Reduce the Risk of Disputes
Without a will, there could be arguments, and unfortunately, the more money you’ve got, the more people are likely to argue. Your estate could cause friction in your family for years to come. Make a will, and there’s nothing for anyone to argue about, and if anyone is unhappy, there’ll only have you to blame.
It’s a Chance to Plan Your Send-Off
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Unfortunately, when younger people die, their families are often left a little lost when it comes to funeral arrangements. Older people might talk about their wishes, and leave guidance, but when someone dies unexpectedly, while their families want to do them justice, they struggle to know what to do for the best. Leave instructions in your will, and you’ll get the send-off that you want, without putting extra pressure on your friends and family at a challenging time. You could even leave some money for the funeral, to ease financial concerns.
But, as we’re all currently learning in a rather uncomfortable way, you never know what might happen. The world is vastly different from the easy world of three months ago when we were all going about our lives as usual, with no thought of wearing masks to go to the shops. In late 2019, most of us had never heard of the term “social-distancing”, and now it’s something that we are all living with.
This sudden change to our everyday lives has given us all a lot to think about. While hopefully, with care, most of us will come out of this physically well, it is making us all, as a civilisation, far more aware of our own limitations. Life can be short. It can be hard. And it can certainly take us by surprise.
So, while you are thinking about your own mortality, maybe it’s also time to start thinking about writing a will. Here is a look at just some of the reasons why you should get in touch with Bannister Preston and their will writing experts today.
Credit - CC0 Licence
You Never Know
The main reason why we should all have a will, no matter how old we are, what our health situation is, or who we have in our lives, is that we never know what will happen. You never know when your health could change, or when you may be involved in an accident. You don’t know when your family might grow, and the world has a habit of throwing things at us when we are least expecting them.
If you make a will when you are young and single, you may want to update it as your family grows or your financial situation changes, but it’s easier to change one than it is to write one, and even if you forget to make regular updates, at least you’ll always have something in place.
A Will Isn’t Just About Your Estate
The main reason that people make wills is to clearly define what will happen to their money, as well as any property or possessions that they own after their death. But, this certainly isn’t the only thing that your will can do. It can make clear what you want to happen to your body after your death, you can leave instructions for your business, and for what you might want to happen to your estate further down the line, you can even add stipulations.
Your will doesn’t even have to come into effect after your death. You can use it to make clear any monies that you’d like used to pay for your care as you get older.
As well as this, all parents should make a will to make clear their intentions regarding their children’s future. You can talk about who you want your children to live with, any requests for their education or financial future, as well as other instructions that you may have.
A Will Gives You Control
Your will gives you control even after your death. You’ll know that your money and anything else that you own, will be used in the way that you would like, without having to worry about what your family members might choose to do.
It Can Reduce the Risk of Disputes
Without a will, there could be arguments, and unfortunately, the more money you’ve got, the more people are likely to argue. Your estate could cause friction in your family for years to come. Make a will, and there’s nothing for anyone to argue about, and if anyone is unhappy, there’ll only have you to blame.
It’s a Chance to Plan Your Send-Off
Credit - CC0 Licence
Unfortunately, when younger people die, their families are often left a little lost when it comes to funeral arrangements. Older people might talk about their wishes, and leave guidance, but when someone dies unexpectedly, while their families want to do them justice, they struggle to know what to do for the best. Leave instructions in your will, and you’ll get the send-off that you want, without putting extra pressure on your friends and family at a challenging time. You could even leave some money for the funeral, to ease financial concerns.
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