Why You Need A Will

There are a countless number of reasons why you should have a will – the most widely known reason being that if you don't make a will, the government will make one for you. By default, your property will be distributed at death according to the intestacy laws of the state in which you reside at the time of your death. Under New Jersey intestacy laws, this means that your property will be divided among your spouse or civil union or domestic partner, descendants, parents and other next of kin. State law determines who gets what and in what proportions. 

The most basic reason you should have a will is to control how your assets will be distributed. In this article, we review some of the less obvious, and often more important, reasons why you should make a will and keep it up to date.