This article is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance on your personal situation, please contact a lawyer.
It can be tempting to put off planning your final wishes as you move through your working life and beyond, especially if your assets are fairly simple.
For instance, if you can cover everything by simply naming beneficiaries for your retirement accounts and ensure your spouse is co-owner on the deed to your home and your other investment and bank accounts, and there aren't all that many such accounts anyway, why bother with a will, or as they're more formally known, a last will and testament?
Here are three reasons.
1. You'll avoid the intestacy laws
While wills still must clear probate in many states, a last will and testament provides vital legal documentation on dividing your assets and possessions the way you want. You can specify how much from what accounts go to who, and who gets that heirloom painting on the dining room wall, that china set, that timeshare at the beach. You get the idea.
Not leaving a will is called dying "intestate," and intestate succession laws typically default to leaving everything to a spouse, children, and/or other blood relatives. That can leave out loved ones like unmarried partners and friends, as well as causes and charities you would choose to support.

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2. You can potentially head off family disputes
Your survivors may not be happy with your decisions, but at least those decisions will be clear as well as legally binding. That alone can help minimize potential conflicts between grieving family members over inheritance decisions.
Again, a will is your last opportunity to make things clear. Ambiguous division of assets can foster suspicion and accusations between relatives and partners.
A well-written will can greatly reduce such disputes arising from assumed promises of inheritance, relatives contesting the allocation, and false claims from those arguing that you promised to leave them something.
3. You can leave your legacy your way
While wills are certainly not the only way to distribute your material wealth upon your passing -- trusts in their many variations also can be powerful tools. They're a simple, direct, affordable way to avoid unnecessary state interference and family conflict.
While end-of-life planning is not on most folks' list of favorite pastimes, a will can often ensure the people and causes you care about most are gifted as you wish. Don't leave that decision to others. Take this opportunity to craft a last will and testament that responsibly solidifies your legacy responsibly and legally.
And lastly, while there is a plethora of do-it-yourself wills available online, it's never a bad idea to review the document with an experienced estate attorney or to have them prepare it for you. The cost can be surprisingly modest, especially for the peace of mind it provides.