National Make A Will Month

Did you know that August is “National Make a Will Month”? RTSV is here to remind you of the importance of drafting or updating your will to ensure your final wishes come to fruition.

According to a recent survey by online legal service, Rocket Lawyer, 64% of Americans don’t actually have a will in place. Despite knowing the importance, many people say they didn’t have time, just never got around to it, or did not the idea of preparing for their death. Additionally, many people are under the misconception that if you’re not wealthy, you don’t actually need a will or a trust. Untrue!

Every family, regardless of their wealth should have a will because it brings ease to the process of a loved one passing and peace of mind to all involved. The goal is to avoid any complications that could lead to the state’s involvement, possible family issues or ultimately a delay in in the process.

Great news! The process of putting together a will or a trust does not need to be time consuming or expensive. And if you so choose, you can actually carve out a legacy for yourself by designating your beneficiaries that can include any of the causes closest to your heart, like for example, Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley. Below are a few tips to help you start or update the process of putting together your will or trust.

• Make a list of all of your assets, including investments, properties, bank accounts and personal property.
• Review your life insurance policy designations, investment and retirement accounts.
• Already have a will in place? Make sure to review and update it every couple of years.
• While reviewing your plans, its also important to keep in mind that your designated executor(s) are still willing and able to complete the task.
• If you haven’t yet made a will or considered your estate plans, there is no time like the present! A great place to start is contacting an attorney or working with a free legal source online.

And don’t forget, you can consider whether or not you would like to include a charitable organization in your final plans like your will and/or as beneficiary of your accounts. When designating a charity as a beneficiary, you can decide to leave any percentage you please to a charity or even to multiple charities.

For more information on designating RTSV as a possible beneficiary on your will or estate plan, please contact our Executive Director, Deanne Everton at .