Have you written a will?

[Marc_LFD]

A Dave Ramsey short video made me think about it and while I'll want to pass on what I own, currently I'm single so no wife or kids, and pass it to a family member? No. Charity? I'm really skeptical about them and where the money goes.

​

Wills are generally something people in their 60's, 70's, or later would do rather than young folks in their 20's and 30's.

Have you done yours?

 

[CraddaPoosta]

A Dave Ramsey short video made me think about it and while I'll want to pass on what I own, currently I'm single so no wife or kids, and pass it to a family member? No. Charity? I'm really skeptical about them and where the money goes.

​

Wills are generally something people in their 60's, 70's, or later would do rather than young folks in their 20's and 30's.

Have you done yours?

You are asking a group that consists of mostly Millennials/Gen Z whether or not they are smart enough to have drawn up a living will and testament.

You are asking too much, here, methinks.

 

[tech3475]

I haven't had one done because I didn't really feel the need for one, where I live by default my stuff would go to my next of kin....who would be inheriting my stuff anyway.

The only thing they'd really need is a document with a brief overview of my more niche stuff e.g. the server, passwords, etc.

Although I do think the 'wills are for old people' mentality is wrong, when I reach a point that I have assets/circumstances/requests I feel warrant a will, I'll get one.

 

[FAST6191]

I could do. Have read several over the years, and have dealt with a fair bit of estate planning and inheritance law for reasons I am never quite sure about. However I have bugger all to my name, no next of kin (worst that will happen there is a sibling or parent bashing their knee or something taking my worthless to most but me books and tools to the charity shop/dump/bonfire in the garden), medical decisions are not very hard for anybody that would be asked, passwords can be a fun one and definitely something to consider in the modern world but I have nothing that can't be pulled back by the various people that replace me (this is by design, or at least happy accident as a result of other things), even if I was not dead then nothing left unsaid as it were...

If I ever get something to my name or have a next of kin worth speaking of, the former of which is unlikely and the latter I have handily dodged for decades now and I think I can do the final stretch, I will sort it then.

If others reading do have some kind of next of kin, specifically want to disinherit one or more of the typically assumed next of kin, or care what happens to your stuff/have enough of it to worry the laws of your country when you kick the bucket (limits can be quite low) then it does fall under fairly basic adulting* and well worth doing. There are plenty of cheap and cheerful lawyers wherever I go that do a basic setup for next to nothing, and that is assuming you can't just do it yourself (most places will at least consider a nicely signed and dated document that is clearly intended to act as such, though like any law there are going to be traps and things to consider in this such that you do better to pay the lawyer to fill in their little form).

*while those in their 60s and 70s are naturally going to be the most concerned on various fronts then car crashes, cancer and the like do happen throughout it all.

 

[tech3475]

I could do. Have read several over the years, and have dealt with a fair bit of estate planning and inheritance law for reasons I am never quite sure about. However I have bugger all to my name, no next of kin (worst that will happen there is a sibling or parent bashing their knee or something taking my worthless to most but me books and tools to the charity shop/dump/bonfire in the garden), medical decisions are not very hard for anybody that would be asked, passwords can be a fun one and definitely something to consider in the modern world but I have nothing that can't be pulled back by the various people that replace me (this is by design, or at least happy accident as a result of other things), even if I was not dead then nothing left unsaid as it were...

If I ever get something to my name or have a next of kin worth speaking of, the former of which is unlikely and the latter I have handily dodged for decades now and I think I can do the final stretch, I will sort it then.

If others reading do have some kind of next of kin, specifically want to disinherit one or more of the typically assumed next of kin, or care what happens to your stuff/have enough of it to worry the laws of your country when you kick the bucket (limits can be quite low) then it does fall under fairly basic adulting* and well worth doing. There are plenty of cheap and cheerful lawyers wherever I go that do a basic setup for next to nothing, and that is assuming you can't just do it yourself (most places will at least consider a nicely signed and dated document that is clearly intended to act as such, though like any law there are going to be traps and things to consider in this such that you do better to pay the lawyer to fill in their little form).

*while those in their 60s and 70s are naturally going to be the most concerned on various fronts then car crashes, cancer and the like do happen throughout it all.

In England at least, getting it witnessed is important if you want it legal:
https://www.gov.uk/make-will/make-sure-your-will-is-legal

If you trust your default next of kin(s) to act on it and don’t have a pre-existing will, a self signed may suffice though.

I’d really advise anyone to check your local laws, for example, I know from US based stories that leaving $1 can be done to prevent any family member complaining about being ‘forgotten’ when they were actually disinherited.

 

[DinohScene]

I think I might leave everything to my cats if the hubby dies before me.

Honestly I don't know, nor do I really care.

 

[hippy dave]

The only "valuable" that we've had discussions regarding who should inherit is our tortoise, who will certainly outlive us both. We're currently waiting to see which nibling might be a particular animal lover or whatever, so nothing's down in writing yet.

 

[FAST6191]

I’d really advise anyone to check your local laws, for example, I know from US based stories that leaving $1 can be done to prevent any family member complaining about being ‘forgotten’ when they were actually disinherited.

Oh yeah few fields more protectionist than lawyers (it is almost as though they are the main ones to become politicians). At the same time as it is a box ticking exercise for the vast majority of the population then pay the usually quite token sum to get it rubber stamped, and again when you break up with the one time inheritor, you get grandkids or sprog again.

The $1 thing can cut the other way and is not necessarily a suggested path as much as an old and largely invalid workaround -- as it is a stated part of the will the estate may then have to fork out for a private investigator to find cousin robbed the house 30 years ago to feed for a drug habit to give him said chocolate bar/$1, or demonstrate all reasonable efforts have been made in that regard which could delay closing (and cause further costs if the executor is taking a salary).

 

[The Catboy]

Although I don't have a will, I own very few things to call my own. The vast majority of my stuff is co-owned between my wife and myself. I also do not have any children or much of a family to claim anything of mine when passing. So, either my stuff will be left with my wife, or if for whatever she is unable to take my stuff, it will be left with my younger sibling.

 

[Ryab]

A Dave Ramsey short video made me think about it and while I'll want to pass on what I own, currently I'm single so no wife or kids, and pass it to a family member? No. Charity? I'm really skeptical about them and where the money goes.

​

Wills are generally something people in their 60's, 70's, or later would do rather than young folks in their 20's and 30's.

Have you done yours?

I currently don't have anyone I know who I would want to give, or would use my possessions. In the future I will for sure, but currently I do not.

 

[x65943]

I have so little I suppose it would not matter a ton to me where it went - will probably not have a will til I am an old man

I think I might leave everything to my cats if the hubby dies before me.

Honestly I don't know, nor do I really care.

This is the plot of the aristocats

Hopefully your butler is more trustworthy

 

[DinohScene]

I have so little I suppose it would not matter a ton to me where it went - will probably not have a will til I am an old man


This is the plot of the aristocats

Hopefully your butler is more trustworthy

Well so far you haven't tried to ship Lady off to Timbuktu...
I say you're trustworthy enough.