Why Do Most People Avoid Writing a Will?
Why do most people avoid writing a Will? Recent headlines suggest that people can avoid paying taxes for a considerable period. You just have to know your way around the system. However, none of us can cheat death forever.
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”
Benjamin Franklin
Immortality is not an option. We all know that one day our time will come. Yet most of us just don’t want to think about it. This is probably one of the most common reasons for not writing a Will.
A Will allows you to decide what happens to your assets and even your children if you die. So why is it that less than half of the adult population of Canada have made a Will? It is an easy process which doesn’t cost much in terms of time or money.
Many people know that writing a Will is very important. However, what is it that stops them from doing something about it?
Tomorrow Will Do
We are all so busy in our everyday lives. It appears writing a Will is one of those things which we can easily put off until tomorrow. With all the distractions of the modern world we have so many things to think about. Writing a Will just seems to be one of those things which goes to the end of the list.
For young people in their twenties and thirties it seems that their final day is a long way into the future. For most of those people it will be. However, the unexpected sometimes happens. Everybody needs a Will no matter how young you are.
We Do Not Want to Face Our Own Mortality
Death is mostly a very taboo subject. We generally avoid the discussion altogether. Most people just do not want to think about their own mortality or having to face the death of a family member. The fear of death is most likely one of the most common reasons for not wanting to make a Will.
Even though this is ridiculous many of us think we may even be “tempting fate” if we sit down and make a Will. The act of making a Will isn’t going to make you death any more likely!
Making a Will is not about facing the inevitable. You should think of it as something which is going to make sure that your family is taken care of in accordance with your wishes.
We Think It Will Cost a Lot of Money
Gone are the days when you had to visit an expensive attorney to draft up your Will. Some people with complicated estates do still need the specialized advice of an attorney and estate planner. This just isn’t necessary for most of us unless our estate is complicated.
Most people do not need to take expensive advice about making a Will. You can make a Will quickly, easily and inexpensively by using a reputable online service. We will guide you through the process in simple steps which are very easy to understand.
Making a Will really does not have to be a difficult process. You can easily complete the process in as little as thirty minutes. Making a Will does not need to cost a lot of money. At LegalWills.ca we charge $39.95 and this includes giving you one year of as many updates as you need to get the document exactly the way you want it. We do not keep credit cards on file, so you will never see mysterious ongoing monthly charges.
We Don’t Need a Will
Many people think that making a Will is only necessary it you have a lot of money. It is true that if you have absolutely no assets and no children a Will may not be necessary. However, most people do not fall into this category.
If you do not make a Will your estate will be divided according to the rules of intestate succession. In other words, you and your family will have no control on who inherits the assets or who will take care of your minor children. The consequences of this could be devastating.
Take for example the situation of unmarried partners who want to leave their estate to each other. They can easily do this in a Will. However, if they die without leaving a Will their assets will become subject to the laws of intestate succession. It is much better that you express your wishes clearly by making a Will.
If you have minor children it is very important that you appoint a legal guardian in your Will. If you do not, then court must decide who becomes legally responsible for your children.
One of the most common misconceptions is that if you are married, then everything will automatically go to your spouse. In fact, if you have children, this is not the case in any Canadian Province. Without a Will your spouse will receive some of your estate, with the remainder split between your spouse and children. This means that without a Will, your family home could potentially be divided between your family. Every Province is different, but you can avoid this muddle, by spending 20 minutes writing a Will.
Stop Being Afraid of Making a Will
It is natural to not want to think about our own mortality. However, we need to separate our feelings about this from our reluctance to make a Will. Making a Will is one of the most caring things that you can do for your loved ones.
When someone dies, it is difficult enough to deal with all the practical things that you must do whilst you are struggling with your grief. Imagine if you have left your relatives to deal with the added difficulties of having to deal with the laws of intestacy.
You can easily take this stress away by making a Will today. It is not a lengthy process and it is now quite affordable. It just takes a few very simple steps.
Tim Hewson is one of the founders of LegalWills.ca.
He has over 20 years of experience helping people to write their Will and other estate planning documents. He has been interviewed by many of the major news media outlets including CTV, Global News, The Toronto Star, and other leading Canadian publications. He has also contributed to a number of financial planning books.
Throughout his career, Tim has written extensively on the subject of Will writing and estate planning.
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