Wills for Families

As a parent and husband the creation of my will brought with it many challenges. I was forced to consider my own mortality and think about what would happen to my family if something happened to me. It became clear to me that I had a responsibility to protect my family whether I was there or not. This included making sure they were taken care of financially and emotionally. It also meant knowing which family members I could trust with my responsibilities.

The most important issue for me was to make arrangements for my children. Appointing guardians to care for them ensured I would chose who I thought would best care for and raise my children if I could not. My family situation also offered a unique problem. My children are from separate marriages so it is likely if something happen to me and my wife that they would end living in different houses. It was important for us to have something in writing to make sure our sons would maintain their relationship even without us.

Distributing property is another important feature of a will. Without a will your property will be subject to probate statutes. This means your property will likely be inventoried and sold with your family members getting a check that signifies their percentage of the inheritance. So often with property a trinket or bauble carries so much more value to a member of your family that just receiving a dollar amount. For me I am in love with an old grandfathers clock my parents have and it would kill me to see it sold. To my sister that trinket was my grandfather's wedding ring. Without a will these items would be sold and the money divided, but with a will you can know what really matters to your loved ones and make sure they have something that will always remind them of you.

Another important reason to create a will and estate plan is to make sure who in your family will make decisions in your absence. Appointing an executor to take care of your estate and creating a "power of attorney" and "advanced health care directive" will let you decide who will be burdened with these tough responsibilities. Knowing the members of my family I could never ask my mother to pull the plug on me, but I trust my wife and father to make that decision in accordance with my wishes. When we pass away it leaves some challenging issues to be resolved and knowing which family members can handle those burdens will make it easier on everybody.

Creating a will requires you to thinking about tough and stressful issues. Our own mortality and what will happen to our family when we are gone are not easy subjects openly discuss. However what will begin as a stressful experience will leave you with a peace of mind going forward. The short discomfort is well worth the long lasting feeling of knowing your decisions will be respected even if you are not around.