I regret that I never got around to doing this sooner, but at least it’s done now. I can give you a list of reasonable excuses as to why I didn’t have a formal will until recently, but when push comes to shove, none of the excuses matter. My family should not have to endure what I/we had to go through (and continue to deal with) after my brother’s death “intestate.” <<That’s legalese for dying without a will.

I’m sure that going through a lawyer is the preferred route to cover all of your bases, but at the very least, I encourage you to use one of myriad free templates available online and have your will notarized. Save the original in a firebox or safe deposit box, and give a copy of the will to your parents, siblings, or whomever you think might need ready access to it, in the unfortunate event of your untimely demise.

If you don’t have a will on file, please don’t let another week go by without taking care of it — even if you don’t have kids! You wouldn’t believe how difficult it is to gain access to someone’s bank accounts when they didn’t leave a will. Something as simple as designating someone so that your family can take care of your financial matters is vitally important.

In addition to the Last Will & Testament that tells your survivors what to do with your belongings and who should have guardianship of your children, another important document is called a Living Will. This is where you instruct doctors and your family on your wishes, if you were ever incapacitated, comatose, etc. To put it bluntly, this document relieves your family from the pressure of knowing when/if to pull the plug, because your instructions have already been recorded.

It’s not a fun task, by any means, but it needs to be done. Don’t delay!