You may think it does. But have you thought about some of the things that aren’t in your will but you would like taken care of? Matters you want to leave your wishes or instructions for?
First of all – why does having a Will matter?
Making a Will is good common sense. Because if you do not leave a valid Will it can cause unnecessary problems for those you leave behind. The legal procedures relating to intestacy (where there is no Will) are more complicated and time consuming.
And relevant local laws will apply regarding the distribution of your estate. The results may not be what you would have wanted.
The sorts of things usually covered by a Will
Wills vary from person to person but they would usually include some or all of the following:
- The name/s of the Executor (the person/s you nominate to carry out your wishes under your Will).
- Your wishes for the distribution of your estate
- Bequests of specific items to named individuals
- The appointment of a guardian for children who are minors
So these are clearly all significant matters that you want to make arrangements for.
But your Will might not include everything that is important to you.
As a legal document, a Will has a fairly narrow scope. Because a Will does not usually cover personal matters which do not need to be legally binding. There can be many things that a lawyer cannot organize for you in your Will. But you might still want loved ones to know your wishes about other things that will need attention.
So what other things might you want to think about and plan for in advance?
The most important is your funeral plan.
This can be difficult just to think about, let alone plan. But making a funeral plan is an important part of end of life planning. Recording details of how you want your funeral to proceed allows your loved ones to follow your wishes. And your guidance will remove the burden from them of having to make these decisions for you.
Many people are not aware that it is not advisable to put your funeral wishes in your Will. Because your loved ones will need this information quickly. Wills are subject to a legal process (Probate) which may delay your loved ones from seeing your wishes.
And what else could be important?
If your Will does not cover other specific wishes that you want your Executor or loved ones to carry out it is important to record them separately.
- Do you have keepsakes or mementos of sentimental value that you would like passed to someone?
- Have you thought about your pet? But will someone know the name of your vet and your pet’s needs and habits?
- So what about your furniture? Things like your books, CD, stamp or pottery collection?
- And the contents of your wardrobe?
- Do you wish to donate any items?
- Are there any subscriptions which will need to be cancelled?
- Who will remember to water your house plants?
Some of these may not be very important but if no one knows what to do it can be stressful for those making the decisions. You can avoid this by recording your wishes and instructions now.
But how can you record and store this information?
After you have thought about what other wishes you would like to record outside your Will, the next step is to record and store it securely. So your legal representatives and loved ones will know what to do when the time comes.
Anticipate Life’s application has been designed to allow you to store this personal information and your wishes.
It is easy to use and provides a private, secure, single location to keep this data. You can amend or update your information in the app at any time. Many people find it comforting to know that their life and post life information is stored in a single, secure place.
Which ensures that everything will be taken care of, exactly how you want.
