A will is so important, but many people die without one because they assumed their estates were ‘simple enough’ for their family to sort through themselves.

But a will does a lot more than provide instruction. It offers protection, guidance, and closure, alongside all those practicalities.

Of course, not all wills are as valuable as one another. DIY wills (in other words, wills written without a solicitor’s guidance) leave the door open for a lot of issues. Thankfully, trusted will dispute solicitors are always there to offer help when a will doesn’t do as intended, but, for your loved ones, prevention is always better than mitigation.

1.      It’s a plan for the unknown

One of the biggest reasons people delay writing a will is a reluctance to think about the uncertainties of the future. We’d rather avoid thinking about the topic of our own mortality – how our families will cope without us and what those months and first few years will be like for them.

We can’t know what’s in store for any of us, but a will is the closest possible thing to a plan. It can protect loved ones against financial upheaval by avoiding delays and giving them that vital roadmap forwards.

2.      Name guardians

If you have young children, dependents, or pets, then a will is the place to secure their future if you’re no longer around to care for them yourself.

3.      It’s easier than you’d think

Again, while we’d all rather avoid thinking about those uncertainties, facing them head-on is always the best thing. It means shifting that invisible burden of ‘what ifs’ off your shoulders. Even if you don’t spend your life preoccupied by worst-case scenarios, it can be surprising how much of a relief sitting down to draft your will really is.

4.      Leave money to charity

Many people choose to leave money to a charity that is dear to them. Your will is there to ensure that money reaches the right people and causes.

5.      The rules of intestacy make very few allowances

Dying without a will means dying intestate, which means leaving your estate to the rules of intestacy. These rules stipulate only a few close relatives who can inherit and a specific ‘pecking order’ that can restrict who holds any legal right to what.

While married or civil partners are included, couples without a legally recognised relationship are precluded – even if they’ve lived together for decades and share children. Biological or adopted children can inherit, but only a limited portion. Many important people in your life can and will have no right to anything from your estate.

6.      It means a lot to surviving family

When someone dies without a will, things can get incredibly complicated – and long-drawn out. Having a final communication from you to your loved ones goes a very long way as they deal with their grief, both in a practical and an emotional sense.

7.       It’s not just about high-value assets

While our bank accounts, savings, investments, and big-ticket assets like property and cars are the first things we tend to think of when considering our estates, there are so many assets worth including that may have a nominal financial value but a high sentimental one.

Photo albums, collections, items passed down through generations and other curios that mean a lot to you – and, by extension, your loved ones – will all need a suitable home, and it can be gratifying to know who will become their next custodian.

8.      It avoids arguments

If you die without a will and it falls on your closest relatives to ‘lay claim’ to certain assets, then the door is left open for disagreements. If you have clearly stipulated your wishes – and, perhaps, provided a brief explanation for them – there are fewer opportunities for fallouts and rifts between your loved ones.

9.      It’s a valuable opportunity to think about IHT

Inheritance tax impacts many households each year. While the threshold was once high enough that many families didn’t need to invest too much thought or planning into it, rising inflation (and a stagnant threshold of £325,000, capped until 2028) mean that many, many more families will be stung by IHT.

There are always ways to reduce the burden of IHT on an estate, although you can’t avoid it altogether if your estate does surpass the threshold. Writing a will is an important step toward securing your loved one’s financial futures and avoiding the burden of IHT.

10. It’s a final goodbye

Dying without a Will won’t just complicate things – it leaves loved ones with unanswered questions and without that final point of closure. It’s worth the time it takes just to leave them with that last farewell.