TOP FIVE REASONS TO DO A WILL
- Jun 22
- 3 min read
Statistically, most of you who are reading this don’t have a Will. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 55% of all Canadians don’t have one . . . I also read somewhere that statistically, almost everyone who is reading this will die someday. Weird. So why don’t we all have Wills?
Some common excuses I hear are:
“I’m too young to seriously consider doing a Will.”
“I don’t have a big enough estate to worry about doing a Will.”
“I don’t like thinking about dying.”
“I can’t figure out who to give Reggie my Dashhund to – so lay off!”
Another thing I hear regularly from younger families is that they struggle appointing a guardian for their minor children. They are, of course, the best parents in the world . . . so for many, this is the most important part of their will, making sure that their kids are looked after by someone who shares their values and parenting style. Yet, this actually acts as a hurdle for many parents because they know that no one can take care of their children as well as they can.
I’m here to tell you that these are not good excuses! You can’t let any of these stop you from looking after your loved ones and ensuring you have your estate planning in order. Nobody wants Reggie – so just move on.
Here are the top 5 reasons you need a Will:
Trust: Appoint someone you trust to run the show. There are many responsibilities in managing someone’s estate, and many decisions are going to be made after you die. If you make a Will, you get to decide who has the legal authority to deal with your estate (i.e the Executor or Representative of the Estate) – and the best part? You get to tell them what to do! Go ahead and appoint your Husband or that overbearing older sister – they’ll finally have to do exactly what you tell them to do. It’s the law. If you’re anything like me, that’s reason enough to get your Will done.
For the Kids: In your Will you get to leave directions about who should be the guardians of your dependent children. That’s right: they won’t be half the parents you are, but they’ll have to step on the Legos and be up at 3am to scare away the monsters under the bed. So there’s that.
Effeciency: Having a valid will in place means your beneficiaries will gain access to and benefit from your estate much sooner than if you don’t have a Will. If you die intestate (see our blog article here on that topic) it can take forever to get your estate finished. And Herbie may be dead by then.
Cost Savings: Your estate will be positioned to pay less taxes, administrative fees and court costs. This means more money stays in the estate to be given to your beneficiaries and less money goes to taxes, fees and court costs. You can certainly bequest more money to Mr. Carney if you want though. See below.
Charities: If you have a charity that you intend to leave a legacy gift to you must have that taken care of in your Will. It won’t happen if you die intestate. Many people have a charitable organization that means something special to them and they envision leaving a gift to that organization. A clear direction given in a properly prepared Will is the best way to make sure this gift is made.
So get to work . . . we have made it super easy to get a Will done.
Online: just need someting simple? Start HERE and do it online in minutes. Once you’re done our actual lawyers get to work and you’ll have your lawyer-drafted Will done and signed in no time. At an affordble price.
Traditional: got a bit more complicated life and family situation? Just send us a note from HERE and we’ll respond with info the next-steps to get the ball rolling.
This is not meant to be, and should not be construed as, legal advice for your specific situation. You should contact one of our lawyers here at Richards + Company for further information and to discuss your particular facts and situation.
Darren L. Richards practices real estate and corporate/commercial law with Richards + Company in Edmonton, Alberta; depending on who you ask he is either ranked #1 or one of the ‘three best real estate lawyers’ in Edmonton.
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