A Will is a legal document that governs the distribution of your assets at death, naming one or more persons to manage your estate and providing for the distribution of all property at death. There is no legal requirement that a will be prepared by a lawyer, although there are pitfalls for home-made wills, such as not properly witnessing it or including unclear language that requires a judge to interpret your intentions.
Unfortunately, more than half of all adults don’t make use of this essential estate planning tool. It’s especially important to have a Will (or consider revising an existing Will) when you get married, have children, accumulate sizable assets, or experience any significant change in your financial or personal circumstances.