Our daddies raised us to be strong, independent women and to never lean on a man or anyone else to make decisions for us or our futures. We have a say in our own lives and we are certainly in the driver's seat. Part of being in the driver's seat is securing your own financial wellness and being in control of where your hard earned money goes.
Because so many of us are lost when it comes to taking care of ourselves first, I've started a second branch of this blog. I introduce to you "This Southern Life". When you see the logo above, know that you will be receiving meaty, pertinent information for living your life to the responsibly and to fullest. You can look forward to more helpful posts/information regarding topics that are applicable to all of our lives.
First things first; where will your money and other assets go when you leave this world? God forbid that something happen to you at this stage/age in your life and you not have at least a Simple Will. The financial and legal issues that come with NOT having a will are numerous and scary for the family/friends that you will leave behind. Some questions to ask yourself- "With whom will I leave my assets? Will my loved ones be cared for? Who will care for my spouse/parents/children/pets when I pass?"
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| Photo is property and courtesy of www.planbeyond.com |
My advice: You need a Simple Will. I'm not a lawyer (don't wanna be) but I do have a good mind and know that it's always better to be proactive than reactive. A Simple Will is free to create and should be notarized. Usually, you can find a notary public at your local courthouse, a bank or public library.
Here are some basic steps and information regarding how to
write/create a simple will.
A Simple Will is a single
legal document that applies only to you (unlike a joint will for you and your
spouse). A simple will describes:
·
Who you are, with enough information to clearly identify that
document as your will.
·
The names of your beneficiaries, both people — whether those
people are family members or not — and institutions, such as charities, and
enough information about the beneficiaries, such as their addresses and birth
dates so whoever is reading your will can figure out to whom you are referring.
·
The name of the person you’re appointing to be the executor — the
person who is legally responsible for making sure that your directions are
carried out — of your will. You also need to appoint a backup executor in case,
for any reason, your designated executor is unable to perform the official
duties (sounds like the Miss America Pageant!).
Always check with whomever you specify as an executor or backup
executor in your will before putting that person’s name in your will. You want
to avoid unnecessary complications that may arise if that person is unwilling
or unable to serve as your will’s executor.
·
Your directions as to who will care for your children or for
anyone else you are legally responsible.
·
How you want your assets distributed, and to whom, after you are
gone.
Your Simple Will should be typewritten — a term that comes from the days of old-fashioned typewriters but which also applies to a printed and produced document by a computer and printer. Other forms of your will, such as written in your own handwriting or spoken, are usually filled with problems and shouldn’t be used.
If you
need more detailed information regarding how to write a Simple Will, I suggest
you contact a lawyer in your area or an agency such as Legal Aid. You can view a sampling of services that Legal Aid provides by clicking here (the information in the link is for the State of Georgia. You should research your own state's Legal Aid agencies for further information regarding services offered and qualifications).
Take a look at this free Simple Will template that may be
helpful to you. You may also want to consider this free template or this free template.
With warmth and love,
With warmth and love,
Wendy
CEO- The House of Q’s
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*Some information in this post provided by "Wills for Dummies".
