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The Consequences of Not Having a Will

The Consequences of Not Having a Will

Once you get to a certain age and have a family to look out for, it’s constantly being drilled into you just how important it is to have a will. This is because dying without a will can result in difficult consequences for your family. As a result, regardless of where you’re based, you’re sure to benefit from assistance with will writing. Whether you require a will writing service, Derby, or help with will creation, Lahore, you just need to ensure you have a valid will ahead of your demise.

A will is the only document that determines what happens to your assets once you’ve passed, making the lives of your family much easier in such a difficult time. To that end, detailed below are just some of the consequences of not having a will.

You Have No Funeral Arrangements

In the absence of a will, you have no legally binding input on what your funeral arrangements will be. For some people, it’s very important to them how they’re remembered, meaning they have certain expectations of what their funeral should be. Instructions about your funeral can include the following:

Funeral arrangements may not seem like the most important thing in the world, but establishing these can alleviate the pressure on your family in carrying out your dying wishes.

Common-Law Relationships Aren’t Recognized

Couples who live together are often referred to as common-law spouses; however, they don’t have the same rights as married couples when it comes to dividing assets. In the absence of a marriage or civil partnership, you’re not permitted to inherit anything from your partner if they die without a will. This remains the case even for couples who have lived together for decades; while it’s an outdated notion, it’s one that remains true. As a result, the consequences of not having a will could include your life partner being left with nothing upon your death.

Your Children Aren’t Provided with a Trust

Trust funds are designed to hold your assets for the benefit of particular people, and this is usually children. For instance, if you’re to die before your children turn 18, your assets are left to them in a trust. In your will, you can state whom you’d like the trustee to be; this is the person who will manage the trust until the child is of age to receive the assets. In the absence of a will, your children under the age of 18 may find themselves with nothing of yours, which is the last thing that any parent would want.

No Guardians Are Selected for Your Children

Speaking of children under the age of 18, you also need to consider what would happen to your children if you were to pass away. Therefore, one of the most important aspects of creating a will is to ensure that your children have a legal guardian you can trust. In the absence of a will, the court will decide who takes legal guardianship of your child, which might not reflect the wishes of you or the child.

You Have No Executor

Finally, no will means no executor. Executors have a number of responsibilities as far as a will is concerned, and without one, the court will take over the administration of your estate. Appointing a trusted executor in your will is one of the easiest ways to ensure that your estate is handled in a way that you see fit.

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