What is the appropriate age to start thinking about a will?
By peanutjar
@peanutjar (5198)
Canada
September 27, 2007 7:53pm CST
We all know that something can happen anytime and there should be a will to leave and have your say over things of where they should go or last words made.But what age should someone start thinking about this stuff?My uncle passed away in april and his family(4 girls)were like greedy rats.They faught for like 3 months over the house and everything there was,even ganging up on each other sometimes.Now the fires put out and well,kind of back to normal.:(You should have a will to avoid things like this,am i right?
4 people like this
8 responses
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 Sep 07
The appropriate age is whenever you think of it. You're thinking of it now, so it's appropriate. I think I read in a previous post that you have children. Who would you want to bring them up if you weren't around? Would your children have a trust fund and who would oversee it? What would be the terms of the trust?
A will doesn't guarantee that family won't fight. Trust me. But if it's written down that everyone gets an equal share, there isn't much the ones who want to fight can do about it.
A person can be in an accident at any age and live children without a parent or parents. So as soon as you think about it is a good time.
@crazy_ol_lady (1014)
• United States
3 Oct 07
hi peanut,
Everyone should be thinking about a will. At least some last words about the future. But as you will notice, young people think they are to young to think about a will. They may feel that what they have isn't enough to warrant having a will. The older people think they have everything settled verbally, so why do you need a will!
No matter how meager your possessions are, or how priceless they may be to you, decisions need to be made in writing. It will save your family so much hassle in the future.
When my in-laws passed, my husband and I watched from a distance. It was awful the way the family acted. Neither in-law had a will, and we just stepped back and let them have what they wanted. We wanted no part of it.
Happy posting..
1 person likes this
@sylvia13 (1850)
• Nelson Bay, Australia
28 Sep 07
No, I don't think so! I prefer to think that the reaction of those girls was just something that did not last and doesn't happen very often! I think a will is important, not so much as a fight prevention measure, but to protect people, meaning children, if there are any. I also think that the will should go beyong just the monetary aspect, but look into things like determining who is to raise the children and how, considering the people that are around. In my case I have two children, who are now 14 and 16, but earlier on I worried about what would happen to them if anything was to them and I would have preferred if the two were kept together instead of being separated, by sending one to one person in one country and the other to somebody else in another place.
1 person likes this
@clamarco808 (312)
• United States
28 Sep 07
I worked for a probate attorney for a little bit and I saw how people can get greedy & just plain crazy when someone passes away with a little bit of property, etc. I suggest to put something together before anything happens and you can't communicate your final wishes for your estate. Many areas have free meetings where you can get all kinds of information without the obligation of having a will made. My husband got a booklet from his employer and I believe it's called 5 wishes or something like that where you can write down everything that you want to happen to you. Once it is notarized and signed by witnesses, it becomes a legal document. Whatever you decide to do, make sure that someone knows where to find your will if anything happens to you.
1 person likes this
@pkosher (71)
• United States
28 Sep 07
My husband and I started thinking about a will pretty much as soon as our daughter was born. We were 29 (him) and 26 (me). We didn't want our daughter to be a ward of the state if something happened to us both. We wanted her to be raised by family. We also wanted her to be able to receive our life insurance when she's old enough to have it (my brother is a lawyer, so we put him in charge of that). I think whenever you feel you have things worth taking care of, is when you should write a will.
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
28 Sep 07
I don't think having a will is an age thing, I think if you have anything of value you should have a will, I have just renewed mine, it is becoming a thing these days to even have a living will so people know what you want if certain things happen to you...a will is a must, if there is no will it is an awful thought to think that the courts will decide who get your estate and it brings the worst out in family and friends...
@TripleS519 (206)
• United States
28 Sep 07
I am 22 and I already have a will. I even have a life insurance policy. I don't want my family to have to worry about me when I'm gone. My family already knows who will get my kids and some other important things. I don't have a house or anything yet. Two years ago my brother passed away and he was only 25. It was very unexpected. He had a seizer in the bathtub and sufficated. My step mother and I had to take care of most of the arrangement because my mom and dad where just not stable enough to it. I don't want my parents to have to go through that again. Luckly my brother had enough money saved up to be able to cover the cost. If fact, as soon as I get a bit more extra money each month I will start buying my grave site as well. I know it's not something fun to think about, But I believe you have too at some point. As far as when to do it, whenever you feel it's time.