“Death is harder on those who are left behind.”

– Robert La Fosse

This quote from La Fosse is even truer when the deceased person does not leave a will dealing with their wishes and thoughts on what should be done, assigning any property (heirlooms, cash, land etc) to their close family, charities or other causes and appointing an “Executor” or manager of their estate. Watch the video in 1 minute or read the post for more:

A will is a written document in which you stipulate to whom you will bequeath (give) your possessions or parts thereof after your death. You can make a will as long as you are of sound mind, have not been declared incompetent under the law, and are at least 16 years old. A will can be drawn up by one person or with your partner in the same document.

What else do you need to know about making a will?

• It should be as simply stated as possible
• It must be legible
• It should be dated
• It must be witnessed (and signed on each page) by at least two other people
• The witnesses can not be a beneficiary or executor of the will

What to Stipulate In a Will?

You can write a will for your movable property (vehicles, books, cash, works of art, etc.) and real estate (houses, land, etc.).

The terms of your will are not limited to your possessions only. For example:

• You can nominate the person to be ideally appointed as guardian of your minor children in the event of the death of both parents
• You can direct your family on what to do regarding your burial arrangements (this should be a separate part of the will as wills are sometimes read after the burial)
• You can also organize your “digital legacy”. Your publications, blogs, social media etc. can be a tribute to your life but they can also serve as a painful reminder of your loss. Writing down passwords for your digital networks and designating a “manager” for all this information will make things much easier for those close to you

Bottom Line:

Writing a will can save your loved ones a lot of heartache and uncertainty. It also assures that the assets you have accrued in life are distributed the way you want them to be.