Here are 5 reasons why you should have a Will:
- Create Certainty When There Are Changes in Your Family
Creating a Will and ensuring that all documents are up-to-date is very important for the many people whose relationship status has changed. Changes can include marriage, separation, divorce, or a birth or a death in the family. A Will ensures your assets are divided or assigned just the way you currently wish them to be.
- Arrange Long-Term Care for Dependent Children
A Will enables you to designate who would care for your dependent children if you die. While that is something most parents don’t want to have to think about, if you don’t designate custody, the decision may be made by a stranger through the BC Court system.
- Protect Your Pets
For many British Columbians, pets are family. Most people want to ensure their pets will continue to receive loving care, as they do now, if something happens to the owner. A Will can designate those provisions.
- Reduce Conflict Within the Family
Careful planning now with a legal professional can eliminate – or at least reduce – stress, taxes, and conflict among loved ones of the deceased. Without personal planning documents, there can be doubt, anxiety, hurt feelings, and delays. The kindest thing you can do for your loved ones is to have your legal affairs in good order.
- Solidify Circumstances around Homeownership
If you share ownership of your home with a partner or others, it’s important to understand exactly how you own the property. Shared ownership can be structured in various ways. That structure directly impacts what happens to the ownership of your home if you die. We can do a title search for you and then discuss the various options available to ensure your wishes are feasible and that your Will is clear.