Estate Planning FAQs for Catholics

71% of American adults have either outdated wills or no will at all. We know not the day nor the hour, so it’s important that we not delay in ensuring that our family, values, and estate are protected. Fortunately, Relevant Radio® has teamed up with FreeWill to help you create a will in just 20 minutes for FREE!

Drew Mariani sat down with FreeWill Co-CEO Jenny Xia Spradling to discuss how this service works and why it’s so necessary. Listen to it here:

What is a will?

Merriam-Webster defines a will as a “legal declaration of a person’s wishes regarding the distribution of his or her property or estate after death.” It’s a way to state what you would like to happen with your estate and who you would like to carry out these wishes. In a will, you can designate guardians for your children, distribution of wealth and possessions, donations to your favorite causes, and ensure that your family knows your wishes for everything you’ve worked so hard to build.

Why do you need a will?

If you die without a will, your estate goes through an intestate probate process. Sound scary? It can be.

“A really common misconception is people think, well my family knows what I want so I don’t need to write it down. Well actually, your family doesn’t get to decide after what happens when you pass away [without a will]. It’s up to the local laws and regulations in your state that determine who gets what, who gets guardianship over your children—a number of really important things. So you really don’t want to let that process happen,” explained Xia Spradling.

Don’t put it off

large familyIf you don’t have a will or yours is outdated—maybe your estate has changed or your family has grown—don’t put it off. Death isn’t something we like to consider, but health and life is a gift that might not be there tomorrow.

Drew Mariani admitted that he and his wife, Cathy, put off creating a will for many years. “I do a lot of traveling and I said to Cathy, look honey, we have got to get a will. If anything ever happened to us, what would happen to the children? One thing I never want to see is division amongst our kids. When we finally completed one … I had a great sense of peace and security. And I want to encourage you to do the same thing.”

A common hurdle

Money is often a deterrent for people who consider putting together a will. Attorney costs can be very expensive, and often people can’t make room in their budget for such a thing. But here’s where Relevant Radio wants to help. We’ve partnered with FreeWill so that you can make a will at absolutely no cost. It’s completely free!

Visit freewill.com/relevantradio to create your will today!

Create a Free Will!

 

Lindsey is a wife, mother, and contributing author at Relevant Radio. She holds a degree in Journalism and Advertising from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Lindsey enjoys writing, baking, and liturgical living with her young family.