Who Can I Leave My Belongings to in an Estate? 

Your family and friends are the most important thing to you. We hold loved ones dear to us and we imagine ourselves with them for a long time. The truth of the matter is, is that this doesn’t always happen. Death, divorce, or other types of separation occur in the many lives of our families. Children and parents are left to cope with heartache and confusion during difficult times such as divorce and the loss of a loved one. Our family law attorneys work with those who are going through divorce and child custody matters. An experienced estate planning lawyer, helps families work through the death of a loved one and determine how to allocate their possessions left behind. It is always important to have some sort of estate planning in place, no matter how much you own. Who can you leave your belongings to, though? You may be surprised with how many options there are. 

You Can Leave Them to Your Dependents 

If you do not have a partner you are raising children with, you can leave everything to your children. You can also appoint a guardian who you would like to see continue to raise them after you are gone. It is important to choose someone who has similar values to your own as well as a lifestyle that is compatible with caring for a child. You should obviously speak with them in great detail about this, as it is not a decision that should be made lightly. You can leave money in a trust that your children can access when they reach a certain age. This will all be important to speak with your lawyer about to help you figure out the best routes to take. 

You Can Leave Money to a Pet

You may have a pet who depends on you to take care of them. You can appoint someone who you want to take care of your pet after your passing, as well as leave a certain amount of money for various things to care for your pet. You may even detail some instructions on how you want the money to be spent on your pet – for example, maybe for a doggie daycare that your pup enjoys attending on a weekly basis. The person you choose should be someone who loves your pet and will be able to care for it with their current lifestyle. 

You Can Leave Money to Charity

You do not have to leave all of your assets to people in your life. You can leave things and money to charities or other organizations. For example, if you feel that your school really helped you advance in your career and you want to see other people benefit from the same education, you could set up a scholarship fund or a donation to your school after you pass away. A skilled estate planning lawyer will be able to help you do this and ensure that everything is distributed the way that you wanted it after you are gone. 

Speak with a Lawyer Today

You will want to talk to a lawyer to see if your wishes are reasonable and something that you can expect to be fulfilled after your passing. There may be certain requirements if you are married or have children, but you can figure out how to proceed once you talk to a lawyer in your state. Contact one to set up a consultation today.