The Armed Forces strongly encourages all members and
their spouses to execute wills. The principal reason for making a will
is to decide who will receive your property upon your death. If you die
without a will, the state of your domicile distributes your property
according to its own law.
It is important for people with children to have a
will in order to designate a guardian. If both parents die and no
guardian is named, the court may appoint a guardian whom the parents
would not have desired.
Prior to completing this worksheet, you should have a
plan for the distribution of your property. Typically, married couples
leave all the property to the surviving spouse. Should both spouses die
together, the property will normally be divided equally among the
children. If the children is/are minors, the executor, the person taking
care of the estate, exercises considerable judgment regarding the time
and manner of distributing the children's property to them, or the
guardian.
Some court proceedings may be necessary in order to
transfer the property of the deceased and to settle any debts. However,
possessing a will can minimize court-related expenses.