If you do not already have a will in place, you should begin to prepare one now. If you are relatively young, and do not plan to leave over a million dollars in assets you should be able to complete a simple will and you may not need a lawyer to help you. You can simply buy a book or a kit to complete the will. Once you grow older and acquire more assets you will want to change your will to meet your needs and then you should probably contact a lawyer to help you with a will.
When you are writing your will you will want to determine where your assets will go. Many people will their assets to their spouse or to their children. This is simple. You want to be able to provide for your family after you pass away so you should also consider life insurance when you are doing this part of the will.
In a will you can appoint a guardian for your children. This is an important step, because it can prevent fighting between family members. If family members know that your wishes are being followed they are more likely to comply with the will. It can give your children stability in a time full of turmoil.
You will want to choose an executor for your will. This person will be in charge of making sure that the will is followed. This includes taking the will to probate court, contacting people in the will, and distributing the property. The executor is also responsible for making sure any estate taxes are paid. You may want to name a contingent executor in case the original is unable to complete the duties.
There are cases when you should always contact a lawyer when writing a will. One case is if you are setting up a trust in conjunction with the will. Trusts can be difficult to form correctly, and you will want to protect your assets as much as you can. If you have a special needs child and need to set up special guidelines for that child you will need to contact a lawyer as well. Once you are working on your final will you should contact a lawyer as well. For most parents of young children a will is more of a contingency plan rather than something that will definitely happen.