Dear New Dad: Time to Set Up Your Will

Happy Father’s Day this month to dads old and new! If you’re a new dad in North Carolina, you may not have a Will set up. Why would you? For most people in their 20s or early 30s, a Will seems unnecessary. If you’re single or don’t own property, you might not think you need to put in place any legal processes.

Once you become a parent, “create a Will” should definitely go on your to-do list! Here’s why:

Why New Parents Should Set Up a Will

• By setting up a Will, you get to decide who gets your money and possessions. You may not have much, but what you have you probably want to be given to your spouse and/or child.
• Without a Will, your assets may be left hanging for a year or more while the process works itself out in the court.
• Meanwhile, your bank accounts, assets, and family information are listed in the public record.
• If you don’t have a Will, a member of your family will have to figure all this out without you. He or she may not direct your assets as you would wish.
• As you create a Will, you can also determine who will care for your child if you die before he/she turns 18.
• While you could handwrite a Will, there’s no guarantee someone will find it and submit it to court, and it could be lost or destroyed over the years and may not even be a valid Will.
• Setting up a Will does not take long, and it’s often not expensive.

Questions about creating a Will in North Carolina? Read more. Or contact us to get started on creating a Will in Harnett County.

Other Estate Planning Resources

The Kelly and West team have been helping people set up Wills, Trusts, and Living Wills for decades. We’ve compiled a lot of helpful information on this topic. Here are some of those resources:

• 8 Things You Probably Didn’t Think about When Planning Your Estate Until You Had to Deal with It
• What’s the Difference Between an Executor and a Beneficiary and Can They Be the Same?
• Top 10 reasons you need a Will
• 8 Questions (and Answers) about Creating a Will in North Carolina
• It’s best not to use software or an online service to create a Will. Here’s why.