Making sure your affairs are in order before you pass away is one of the most considerate things you can do for your loved ones. This prevents a number of difficult situations from arising when it comes time to deal with your estate administration. There are several valuable estate planning tools you can use to prepare for the future, but a will is especially important to have. Thus, it’s a good idea to gain a basic understanding of how wills and estates work before you start creating your own estate plan. 

What Can a Will Do? 

Instruct How Assets Should Be Distributed

Determining what happens to a decedent’s assets is a major consideration for wills and estates. You can leave detailed instructions in a will as to where your property should go after you pass away. Assets can include cash, personal property, and real estate.

Name a Guardian 

If you have children under the age of 18, a will can be used to name the person you want to raise them in the event both parents meet an untimely death. A will also allows you to make arrangements for someone to manage any money or property you leave to your children until they become adults. 

Appoint an Executor 

Executors have a significant role in making sure a decedent’s final wishes are carried out as they intended. The person you want to take on this responsibility can be appointed in your will.

Why Do You Need One?

In Alabama, if you pass away without properly preparing your will and estate, the law gives the court authority to step in and decide who your beneficiaries should be and who will take over as guardian of your children. Not having a say in this means your assets could end up in the wrong hands and your children raised by someone you wouldn’t approve of.

Additionally, the state will appoint an executor on your behalf, which can make the administration of your estate unnecessarily complicated and stressful for your loved ones. The absence of a will also frequently results in a more expensive and lengthy probate process. 

Drafting a will gives you the opportunity to make important decisions now that will protect your assets and loved ones in the future. For further clarification on what you can do with a will, contact William A McWhorter. He offers residents throughout St. Clair County, AL, more than two decades of experience with wills and estates and can provide sound legal advice on reaching your estate planning goals. His expertise in this area of law has also proven beneficial for guiding clients through complex probate proceedings. Call (205) 338-4411 or visit his website to schedule a consultation today.