Free South Carolina Last Will and Testament Template

The future is unpredictable. We are so often pushed and pulled and taken for a spin without realizing how fast time passes by. This is where creating a South Carolina last will and testament can help. By filling out and filing it, you have a say in what happens to your belongings.

While life is happening, it is sometimes hard to plan for the future and easy to let things pass us by. But one thing that is for certain in the game of life is that we are not immortal. As humans, we all come with an expiration date, one that we cannot guess. Thus, making a last will is not only about your things but also about those that you will leave behind, especially if you are the sole provider for them. Many people are the bread-winners of entire families, and without them around, spouses and children lose all support. Thus, there are many reasons to create a last will and testament template besides the financial rationale behind this decision.

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Free South Carolina Last Will and Testament Template

What Do You Need to Create A Will?

Anyone above legal age (18) and in their right mind has the right to create a will. There is no age that is too old or young to start thinking. Some might think that 18 is a young age to start thinking about what might happen when you’re gone, but it happens to everyone and shouldn’t be pushed off. Plus, you can always make modifications or change your will entirely if you make life changes or you feel you have evolved as a person. It is binding in the case of sudden death but gives you the freedom to change the document over time.

Before creating your will, compose a list of possessions you’re hoping to pass on and formulate an idea of who will take over things when your final day comes. These are known as your executor and beneficiaries, the most important aspects to determine when creating a will.

Choosing an Executor

One of the first things to think of when it comes to creating a will is who will see that things go as planned. This person is known as your executor. They act as you would in your absence, including stepping up to the plate and leaving your family and friends time to grieve and mourn. For this reason, think about a strong person who will get right to business when the time comes. They need to be organized and able to call the shots, taking control, and making sure things run smoothly. A good tip is to choose more than one just in case anything happens to your primary choice.

Distributing Your Assets

Of course, you’ll need to think about your stuff. Everything you own or have worked hard for can be passed on to anyone you would like. You can start by making a list of meaningful people in your life, deciding what you wish to transfer to them. It is never too early to start thinking about the things you’ve accumulated during your life, so why not start now?

What Happens If You Have No Will?

To that last question, you’ll want to pay close attention here. If no action is taken to secure your property, the state will take it over. They do this in a fair and orderly manner, but two problems come from this procedure. First, the state is slow to get things rolling, often needing to go through a whole process before securing your properties. The second is that they distribute property in the way they see fair, following the official intestacy laws.

Under South Carolina’s intestacy legislation, the first person of reference is your spouse. The state doesn’t know about your personal relationships, only looking to those that ‘make sense.’ For that reason, they look to the spouse and the children first when securing the property. If for any reason, these relatives are not an option, the state starts to chase down family, looking toward siblings, parents, and even grandparents if applicable. It is not fun to think that things get tossed around here and there until someone takes them. That is no way to treat all the things you’ve worked so hard for.

Secure Your Future the Best That You Can

It may seem difficult to secure the future; the latter is merely impossible to predict. But when you create a South Carolina last will and testament, you can make sure a few things happen. You get to have a say in what will happen to all of your hard-earned possessions, even when you’re not here.