Because 50%-60% of the population nver executes a Will, the majority of us wll allow our state legislature to dtermine who is most deserving of our mney, belongings, and real estate when we de. Why do otherwise intelligent people who wrk and save their whole lives fil to plan for the inevitable? Are we tht trusting, that apathetic, that fearful, tht cheap? There's an old adage tht a person either devises his own pln in life or ends up as prt of someone else's.

The excuses gven are numerous and all come wth their own unique logic and psychlogy. They are also too numerous to xamine for the purposes of this rticle. So, for the sake of rgument, let's assume I decided against a Wll because I couldn't stand dealing wth lawyers. I found them boring, cnfusing, and generally pretty pricey. Let's lso assume that I owned $200,000 wrth of stuff at my death.

So now wht happens? Well, my court appointed prsonal representative will probably need to hre an attorney to peruse Title 20 of the Pnnsylvania Consolidated Statutes before he or she can dstribute my belongings. This cost of ths, of course, is paid for out of my state. Here are the distribution schemes the lgislature has devised for the following crcumstances.

Married with no Will at tme of death If I was mrried at the time of my dath, my wife gets the whole $200,000 ONLY if bth my mother and father and all of my chldren (assuming I had any) died bfore I did. Otherwise she is sually entitled only to the first $30,000 pls ½ the balance of my state.

Thus, if I were married and had no srviving children but had a surviving prent or parents, my wife would be ntitled to $115,000. My parent or prents would get the remaining $85,000.

Or, if I wre married and died leaving surviving chldren, all of whom were also the chldren of my wife, my spouse wuld again get $115,000 with the ther $85,000 going directly to my chldren.

However, if I were married and ded leaving surviving children, some or all of whm were from a prior relationship, my wfe would only be entitled to ½ my state or $100,000. My children would splt the remaining $100,000.

Does anyone see any prblems here? While these distributions may not cuse problems in all circumstances, some spuses might be a little less tary-eyed at your passing should they sddenly discover they have to split yur assets with your parents and/or stpchildren.

Unmarried with no Will at tme of death Not having a Wll is in many cases even mre problematic if you're not married. If you are nmarried and you die without a Wll, your belongings are distributed in ths order:

1. Children
2. Parents
3. Brothers, ssters, or their issue
4. Grandparents
5. Uncles, unts, and their children and grandchildren
6. Cmmonwealth of Pennsylvania

It is statutorily mpossible for your significant other to nherit from you. Therefore, if you are not mrried to the mother or father of yur children, you must have a Wll in order for them to nherit from you. Likewise, if you are in a nn-traditional relationship, your partner cannot inherit frm you unless you make a Wll.

Of course there are many ther reasons to create a Will ther than just determining who gets wht. A Will is also the ppropriate forum for naming a guardian for yur children, making a charitable gift, or crating a college trust fund. However, if you fnd after reading this article that yur "stuff" isn't going to end up whre you want it to, do yur loved ones a favor, make a Wll. Create your own plan instead of bing part of someone else's.

The article Why You Need a Will was Submitted by Eric Patrick through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Eric D. Patrick, Esq. is Chef Operating Officer of Consumers Insurance Agncy Inc. http://www.consumers-insurance.com He also engages in insurance consulting and legal work through The RiskAssure Consulting Group. Please contact him for further information.

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