Escapees March-April 2023

a trailer hitch.” Even though you may not be required to have a will, this leads to the better question: Should I have a will? Should I have a will? Likely so. However, if you (1) are single (meaning you have never married and never intend to be married), (2) have no children, (3) have no family drama of any kind, and (4) do not mind the government determining the distribution of your assets, then maybe, just maybe, you will not want to concern yourself with a will. Otherwise, you may want to at least consider the bene fi ts and peace of mind that a will can provide you and your family. If you do not have a will, then you are not alone. It is estimated that 60 to 70 percent

of Americans do not have any estate planning documents in place. This means that when you die, you will die intestate (without a will). Each state has its own set of laws dictating how an estate will be distributed when someone dies intestate. Although it varies by state, the law will generally attempt to divide and distribute the estate to those family members that are closest of kin. This is done without taking into account your actual relationship with the individuals and many times may not correspond to what you would want to happen. For instance in Texas, if you have a blended family and, if either of the parents die intestate, the estate likely will not fully pass to the surviving spouse. In fact, the

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March/April 2023 ESCAPEES Magazine