Of all the tasks on your to-do list, most adults are guilty of putting off estate planning. However, without a will, you won’t have any official record of your wishes in the event of your death. If the thought of this uncertainty alone doesn’t encourage you to pull out a pen and paper, consider these three reasons why it’s crucial to draft a will.

3 Reasons Why You Need a Will

1. Make Plans for Your Dependents

If you have children under 18, thinking about an unexpected passing can be uncomfortable. However, with a will, you can obtain peace of mind by making plans for such a scenario. You can use this document to designate their new guardian, whether you trust their care to your spouse, sibling, or old friend.

This will prevent your dependents from being passed on to a state-appointed guardian or entered into the foster care system. If you have pets, you can also make plans for their new owners in your will.

2. Leave Behind Something for Your Loved Ones

Your will is also a place to leave a legacy by distributing your life’s earnings to those you hold dear. With this document, you can choose who gets your summer house, car, and collection of baseball memorabilia.

This way, you know that your assets will be left in the hands of the specific individual who will cherish them most, rather than passed out by a judge. You can also prevent family members and friends from arguing over who deserves what, as your wishes will be spelled out clearly in your will.

3. Protect Your Digital Assets

These days, more and more of our lives take place online. From the novel-in-progress on your laptop hard drive to the countless photos on your social media profiles, young estate planners will have plenty of digital assets to plan for.

In your will, you can choose who to give your old usernames and passwords and leave them specific instructions on how to handle the data. You might want your sister to go through your Facebook photos and save them before deleting the account, or have your boss archive the business documents on your work computer.

If you’re ready to start planning your estate by drafting a will, turn to Pater, Pater & Halverson. This Hamilton, OH, firm has been active since 1889, and their attorneys boast 90 years of combined experience. With their help, the seemingly overwhelming task of estate planning will fly by. To learn more about their practice areas, including personal injury and criminal defense, visit the website. You can also call (513) 867-1411 to arrange for a convenient estate planning consultation.