Should I Have a Will?

Yes. If you do not have a will when you pass, you do not necessarily have control over who will inherit your property. Without a will, your estate will be subject to “intestacy” laws, which is where the state uses a fixed set of rules to determine how your property is distributed, and rules vary by states. In some scenarios, intestacy requires dividing property between family members, such as a spouse, children, siblings, and parents. The possibility of resulting legal disputes could have consequences you never intended, such as the forced sale of your home. The way to avoid these issues and unintended consequences, and control your assets is to have a will in which you designate where your property and assets are to be distributed and to whom.