# Do I need a will?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-will/712254>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 9, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-will/712254 "2015-02-09T20:54:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-will/712254/41 "2015-02-18T20:30:37Z")

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Here’s your solution: assume you will have _something_ left when the estate pays the bills. Maybe a few hundred bucks, many a few grand (for instance, if there’s a car to sell off).

Take a look at what your state’s laws are regarding inheritance taxes in cases where there’s no will. In most places but not all, if there’s a spouse the spouse gets it all; if no spouse but children, it gets divided up equally among the children; if no spouse or children, divided up among siblings; etc.

Whatever it is where you live, if you’re ok with it, then don’t worry about a will. Though it may be that naming an executor will save your estate some money because your executor will probably charge less than a professional agency would for the same work. That’s the only other reason I can think of as to why you would need one.

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**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-will/712254/42 "2015-02-19T11:47:10Z")

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You’ve answered your own question, given the settling of your estate isn’t worth your taking the time to write out about fifty words.

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