Dealing with the death of a loved one is a traumatic experience. It is a time for mourning a loss and remembering the person for who they were in life. There are many matters that need to be handled shortly after a person’s passing but dealing with complex legal issues is not on the top of most people’s list. Unfortunately if you don’t plan ahead, that is exactly what you’ll be involved with at this emotional time.

Planning ahead can save you or the people you leave behind a lot of anguish, time and money. What happens if you or a parent dies without a will? Depending on the assets and many other issues it can be very complex. Without a written contract your assets and final wishes may not be carried out as you wish.

Who should have a will? The answer may surprise you. Most people should have a will. It’s not just for the wealthy person who is deciding which family member is going to get the home in Florida. If you own a home you should definitely have a will. What about your savings, 401K or vintage collection of baseball cards? No one plans on dying without taking care of their estate, so do your loved ones a favor and save them a little extra “grief”.

So, what do you do if your parent passes away without a will. Those questions are best left to a qualified attorney. Follow this link to a website that has lots of great information on Estate Planning. It even has several videos that will help you to understand the process.