Estate Planning

Will Creation: What You Need to Know

Most people know they need a will. Most don't have one. The barrier is almost never cost or complexity — it is the discomfort of thinking about it.

Estate Planning

Creating Your Will.

The document that takes a few hours to complete and decades of worry to avoid.

Most people know they need a will. Most don't have one. The barrier is almost never cost or complexity — it is the discomfort of thinking about it.

2–3hours is typically all it takes to complete a straightforward will using an attorney or reputable online service — yet over half of adults never get this done

The Situation

What a Will Actually Does

A will is a legal document that specifies how your assets should be distributed after your death, who should serve as guardian for your minor children, and who you appoint as executor to carry out your wishes. Without it, your state's intestacy laws make these decisions — often distributing assets in ways that don't reflect your intentions and without any say about who cares for your children.

A will is not a prediction of death. It is a statement of intention — ensuring your wishes govern, not default legal formulas.
— Worthune Decision Framework

You have minor children but no formal guardian designation in a legal document
You have specific wishes about how your assets should be distributed that differ from what state law would automatically do
You've been meaning to create a will for more than a year without completing it

About This FinBook

A will directs asset distribution and names guardians for minor children. Learn what a will covers, what it cannot do, and the key decisions involved in creating one.

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