The Challenge of Aging

"Choose one of the following topics to write a post about...'

I chose to do: 
"Do you have a Will? 
Why is it important to make a will?  
What is a living will?  
What information is available online to help your classmates create a will?
Write this post to inform your readers why a Will is important and what resources are available to them."

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"Do you have a Will?"
When my husband and I were first married we didn't have a Will. We didn't really see the immediate need for one. It was just the two of us, we had just moved from San Diego, CA to Bremerton, WA. We lived on a military base, drove safely, didn't drink a lot or do drugs, had no major health issues, and neither of us had really experienced any MAJOR event that would make us push to do a Will immediately. Sure, we talked about doing one. But it was casual conversation - "Is there anything that you'd like to have go to a certain person after you die?" That kind of thing.

We didn't get serious about making a Will until after our 2nd child was born and we bought a house. Then we knew it was time to make a plan. Not for us, but for our KIDS. We didn't want them to get "caught in the crossfire" of the aftermath of our passing. We had seen that happen before with other family members and friends. People don't think straight after losing a loved one. Greed, fear, grief - all of these things cloud a persons mind and then they aren't able to see what really needs to be done. We wanted to make sure that our children (or significant other) were taken care of.

"Why is it important to make a Will?"
It's important to make a will so that the people (and things) that you leave behind are taken care of. Everyone should have one but ESPECIALLY people who have children, property, investments, etc. Without a will how are the people you leave behind supposed to know what you wanted done with your assets?

"What is a Living Will?"
A "Living Will" or otherwise known as an "Advance Directive" is a specific Will that is put into place in the event that the person holding the Will can no longer make decisions for themselves. 
It can contain information like: a medical directive that states that no extra measures are to be taken in saving said person's life once their heart stops beating (no CPR, no breathing machines, etc).
Another form of a Living Will is one that assigns a Health Proxy or Power of Attorney in the event that the holder can no longer make decisions.

"What information is available online to help your classmates create a Will?"
There are a lot of websites that offer services in helping you make a Will. When we decided to do our will we used a website online. http://www.uslegalforms.com We got BOTH of our Wills through this site. It was very informative and thorough. We paid a little more to have them go over it and draw it up through all the right legal laws and channels. They then send you either a digital copy (or mail you a printed if you want) and then you take it to a Notary and sign it. BAM! You now have a legal Will.
A lot of lawyers will also offer a free consultation in helping you decide which types of Wills and programs are best for you and/or your family.