Unless you want to be remembered by loved ones as “that guy who screwed us over,” it's time to address your inevitable demise.
“I think everyone who's 18 or older should have a will,” says Michael J. Hussey, J.D., an associate professor of law at Widener University.
Each state has its own rules about how to give away your stuff. That means if youâre single and die without a will, state administrators may liquidate your assets–the flat-screen TV, car, checking account–and misallocate them. (“Sure, let's give it all to that older brother with a gambling problem, not his niece who needs help with college tuition.”)
(Related: Will You Live to 100?)
Besides, the best time to draw up a will is when you don't have marital ties to consider, says Bradley Fogel, J.D., a professor of law at Saint Louis University. Why? Itâll be easier for you to assess your worldly goods, and cheaper because most attorneys charge by the time it takes to untangle your finances, says Fogel.
In fact, if you don't have much to your name, you can probably get away with using a DIY online will generator, such as Rocket Lawyer, says Hussey.
But if you eventually marry or jump tax brackets, make sure you hire a pro. It will cost you a couple hundred bucks, Hussey estimates–but save your family loads of grief.
“Wills are very weird documents, and they're hard to get right,” says Fogel.
To avoid a grave mistake, use an attorney who specializes in estate planning. Find one in your state by going to actec.org and clicking on “Fellows.”
(For more ideas like this, check out The Better Man Project, the new book from the Editor-in-Chief of Men's Health. It's a jam-packed user's guide to every aspect of a man's life, with more than 2,000 body hacks and fitness, nutrition, health, and sex secrets. All to make you a better man in every way that counts.)
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