Friday, February 24, 2012

#13 Write a Will

Lucky Number 13!!!!

One of the things I wanted to do after becoming married was write out my will, especially once I helped out in the Trusts & Estates Department of my company and learned a little bit more about Estate Law. First of all, I learned that my estate wouldn't immediately be given 100% to my husband. Every state in the U.S. has slightly different intestacy laws and in Maryland he would only be entitled to half my estate while the other half would go to my parents.

Now, I love my parents and I would like them to have some of my money if I were to get hit by a bus, because I owe them money, but the fact of the matter is they would not need my estate as much as my husband would. He and I are dependent on each other for financial matters and I want to know that if something happened to me that he would be taken care of. It comes down to the fact that my parents don't need what's in my bank account and would not be financially effected if they did not receive it; my husband would.

So I wrote a will. And I didn't just take care of my financials and estate but also a couple other gifts that I'd like to go to specific people. As uncomfortable as it is to imagine myself gone, it did comfort me to know that they would have something to remember me by. It also made me feel much better to know that my husband will be completely taken care of.

While looking up facts and help for writing my will I also found the Maryland Living Will, which I filled out as well. The Living Will is what hospitals use if you're in a car crash or some kind of accident and are basically a vegetable. I would rather make the decision for myself than to put my family members into the awful position of having to decide whether or not to take me off a machine.

This was not a pleasant task, but it was a necessary one and one I have been putting off, so I'm glad I made it part of my Day Zero project and can now put my mind at ease.

2 comments:

  1. We did our wills a few weeks ago now that we are married it was good to do it and we were able to plan for our expected and future children.. which was pretty cool- meaning that we dont have to get a will redone everytime.. Such a good thing to have! one other thing to think of- that we did was get a power of attorney set up for both of us if we became incapacitated and one didnt make it..

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  2. Great job, I'm impressed! We still don't have a will.

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