8 Reasons to Make a Will Before You Are 40
Lots of people in their 20’s and 30’s are not considering making a Will anytime soon. There are either too many other priorities or they simply believe that they have plenty of time to make a Will when they are older.
Whilst, the chances are, a fit and healthy young person will have time on their side. This sadly cannot be guaranteed. Every now and then we are reminded how cruel life can be when someone is taken far too soon in an accident or from a sudden illness. It’s not something anybody wants to think about, but making a Will should be a priority for adults of any age.
In this blog we share 8 reasons that may inspire you to make a Will sooner rather than later.
And once you are convinced, book an appointment with us at Bell Lamb & Joynson and we can take it from there!
1. We Don’t Know When Our Time is Up
As already mentioned, we can be taken at any time. No matter how well you take care of yourself, how sensible you are or how long your parents and grandparents live – we just don’t know. You can make a Will from the age of 18 onwards. So don’t wait until it is too late. You might not think you have any assets or wealth now, but there will be matters to take care of when your Will is likely to be actioned.
2. Protect Your Partner
If you are yet to tie the knot but live with a long-term partner and do not have a Wills in place, then you are living dangerously. If you die without a Will, Intestacy Rules kick in and your partner will not be a beneficiary to your estate.
3. Protect Property
If you own a property – by yourself, with a partner, friend or family member, then it is really important to make a Will. This will ensure that the property passes to the right person or people when you die. You might find that your property doesn’t automatically go to the other party when you die, which can be devastating for the person you lived with and can cause a lot of stress to put right.
4. Appoint Guardians for Your Children
Making a Will allows you to appoint official guardians for your children. Should something terrible happen to both parents, the appointment person/s will be able to legally take care of your children, manage the money that you leave them and bring them up according to your wishes. Without a Will the state decides, and who they choose might not have been your first choice. This is of particular importance for fractured families, where there might not be a relationship with parents or siblings.
5. Manage Your Digital Life
Much of our life is on a digital platform of some sort, and this is becoming increasingly important to manage when someone passes away. Whether you make a living online, hold assets online, such as crypto, or simply hold dear memories on your phone and camera – having a Will can dictate how you want them to be dealt with and appoint a trusted person to gain access to your online accounts.
6. Provide for Pets
If you have cherished pets – it is likely a priority for you that they would be cared for if you were to suddenly pass away. Whilst you would hope that a family member or friend would step in and take care of your pet/s immediately, when thinking about the long-term responsibility of pet ownership, you might want to make some provisions in your Will.
7. Protect Your Family’s Wealth
You may not have built up much equity in property, investments or savings yet. But many people nowadays have been gifted a deposit by their parents to help them get a foot onto the property ladder or might be expecting to receive a sizeable inheritance later down the line. Making a Will can ensure that this money is ringfenced and passed to the next generation in the way you would have wanted.
8. Funeral Planning
Nobody wants to think about death, but if you have any specific ideas about how you would like your funeral service to play out, then making a Will or a separate funeral plan is a good idea. Many people hold strong opinions on organ donation, burial, or cremation. Or have given thought to where they would want their ashes scattered or which songs they would like to be played. Knowing that your wishes are being honoured can bring comfort to a partner, or family left behind.
Ready to Make a Will?
If this has been the prompt that you needed to make a Will and get your affairs in good order, then please reach out to our friendly and experienced Wills & Probate Team at Bell Lamb & Joynson.
We start the process with a simple conversation to help understand your circumstances, followed by a questionnaire which you can complete at your convenience. This will help you to solidify the thoughts in your mind onto paper.
Call us on 03444 124348 or speak to our online chat assistant who can arrange a call back at a suitable time.
Updating Your Will
When you make a Will earlier in life, a common concern is that it will need changing multiple times and it will cost you more money.
This is an understandable thought process; however, Wills are more flexible that you might think. For example, if you are engaged or with a long-term partner, you can make a Will that sets out what should happen once you are married. Or if you have 1 child but anticipate that you will have more in the future, your Will doesn’t need to name children, it can be fluid and account for any future additions to the family.
You will need to update your Will if any major changes of circumstances occur over your lifetime and it is recommended to check your Will every 3-5 years, just to make sure your intentions or circumstances haven’t changed.