Do I need a will?
If someone depends on you, or you care who gets your things, you need a will.
Most people don't have one.
In the US, about 24% of adults have a will.[1] In Canada, about half of adults aged 30 to 85 do.[2] So if you don't, you are in good company. But that doesn't make it a good plan.
What a will does.
A will is a short paper that says three things. Who gets your home, money, and things. Who is in charge of carrying out your wishes. And who would raise your children if they are young.
What happens without one.
If you die without a will, your state or province has a default plan. It decides who gets what, using a fixed list of relatives. It may not match what you want.
A partner you never married may get nothing. A child you have not seen in years may get a share. A court picks the person in charge, and that can take time.
"But I don't have much."
This is the most common reason people give. In one 2026 survey, 27% of US adults without a will said they don't have enough.[11] But a will is about who, not how much.
If you have a car, a bank account, a pet, or a child, you have choices worth writing down.
"I'm too young."
Many people make their first will when a child is born.[11] That is a good moment. Naming a guardian for your children is one of the most important jobs a will does.
"I'll get to it."
This is the other big reason. About 43% of US adults without a will say they just haven't gotten around to it.[10] We understand. It feels like a big job.
It's usually smaller than you think. Most people can answer the key questions in under an hour.
What else you need.
A will only works after you are gone. Two other papers protect you while you are alive.
A financial power of attorney names someone to handle your money if you can't. A health directive names someone to speak for you about care. Together, these three papers are the core of a plan.
How to make one.
- Hire a lawyer to draft it. This is the best choice when things are complex.
- Use a guided online tool. You answer questions and your documents are built from your answers.
- Do both. Build your documents online, then have a lawyer review them.
Whatever you choose, signing matters. In most places, a will is printed and signed in ink in front of two adult witnesses.
Those witnesses should not be people who get something under the will. Your state or province sets the exact rules.
Keep it current.
A will is not a one-time job. Look at it again after a marriage, a divorce, a birth, a death, or a move.
A will that names an ex-spouse or forgets a grandchild can cause the very problems you wanted to avoid.