Why single people need a will too
Why single people need a will too
Don’t blow off writing a will — even if you’re childless
No one can tell you what your future holds. You can create all the dream boards you want and start scratching off your bucket list, but the one thing you cannot control (of many) is the day you go — as in die. Depressing as it may sound, I was even sadder once I heard a woman say something to me that had never even crossed my mind: “I have no emergency contacts. I don’t know who to put down.” I sat in this “Going It Alone” workshop for a magazine assignment and watched (mainly) women nodding their heads.
Contrary to popular belief, these weren’t all unmarried women with no kids — which fit my description. There were various circumstances: divorcees, widows and a few childless people. Whenever people ask questions like, “Don’t you want someone to grow old with?” they always forget to remind themselves that you never know if you’ll have the chance to grow old with anyone.
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If they die and you’re still here, you still have to move on. And unfortunately, just because you have a child does not mean that that child will outlive you. (I am a South Side Chicago native who is particularly disturbed that I’m not disturbed by this news. But if you watch the news long enough, you become desensitized to this fact.)
Recommended Read: “Baby bonding: When friends fight ~ Childless women can bond with their friends' children, but what happens when the two adults bump heads?”
Is it worth it to write a will if you’re childless and unmarried? My answer is simple: Hell yeah! Women take a lot of flack for this, but it’s an issue for men, too. Desus, ever-the-joker, made a snarky comment about it on Showtime’s “Desus & Mero” when asked if he had a will. He said he would leave just enough money to all of his ex-girlfriends so that taxes would eat most of it up. Is it funny? Yes. Would I do it in real life? Nope, not even $1. (Mero, husband and father of four, has one though.)
Recommended Read: “Don’t wait too late to create your will ~ Black entrepreneurs, prioritize a will and testament early on”
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I remember bringing this up as a guest speaker for a Toastmasters group. The president (a few years younger than me, I believe) was baffled and asked me, “Why is this even on your mind? You’re too young to think like this. I’m going to be around for a long, long time.” As Desus and Mero say, “You thought?!” (Note: I certainly hope he does. My great great great grandmother lived to be in her late 90s, and two of my most frequent debaters — my 100-year-old great great aunt and 95-year-old grandfather — are primary examples. Still though, that level of confidence does not do much for you legally.)
Recommended Read: “In the event of an emergency, my dog goes to … ~ Have you planned a foster parent for your pet?”
More importantly though, if you’ve worked to have any kind of property — whether it’s a condo or home you own outright, or even a pet — you probably don’t want to see your traumatized dog end up in a kennel or your home in somebody’s bank. If you still owe money on a mortgage but know of a relative who can easily take over, why not? A nephew? A cousin? That one neighbor’s kid up the block who always gets you groceries or mows your lawn? All of these people are options. I’ve known people who left their property to their caregivers or a few things to a babysitter. As long as this person is important to you, what do you have to lose?