Valuable Information About Estate Planning For Couples Who Are Not Married PART 1

​If you have a significant other but do not have a marriage certificate, you might want to look into estate planning.  If you don't, neither one of you can inherit anything from the other.  Also, you will not have any say toward the end-of-life medical care.
 
Unfortunately, there are far too many people who will pass away and not have a valid will.  After you die, any property you individually own will not be handed over to your partner.  All your belongings and property will go to the next-of-kin or your parents. Only your spouse or someone you have named in a valid power of attorney would be allowed to make any medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated.  You can prevent any of this happening by creating the legal documents you need.
 
Make A Will:
 
If you don't know, “Intestate” is the definition for someone who dies without a will.  Intestate Succession statutes is a list of your closest relatives who will inherit from you after your death.  If you have assets that are important to you, making a will gives you the say who will inherit your assets such as a partner, a friend, or a charitable organization.
 
There are other reasons why you should make a will.  If you have small children and you pass away, you should have someone named as Guardian for them.  A guardian can raise your children if neither parent is alive or able to.  If you don't name a guardian, the courts will. If you've named someone as guardian, that is whom the court will appoint unless there is something seriously wrong with your choice, such as they passed away before you but you never named someone new.
 
Keep in mind, if both you and your partner are the legal parents of your children, you will have to name someone else as a personal guardian but will not be needed unless both of you are incapable of caring for the children.  If only one of you is the legal parent, you might want to name your partner as the guardian.  It's also advisable to write a letter while making a will to tell the courts why it's important that your partner be your children's guardian.  Another thing to keep in mind, if there is another “legal” parent, that person will probably take over raising the kids.
 
There are many people who will make their own wills using an online app or software.  It's not expensive and really quite easy to do.
 
Also, you and your partner can leave assets to each other by creating a living will. That said, most people will not draw up a living will until they are middle-aged or older. The trust will perform the same functions as a will but allows the partner to avoid the expense and hassle of probate.