National Make aWill MonthRocket Lawyer™ survey reveals a majority of Americans do not have a Will. During Make a Will Month everyone can make a free legal Will with Rocket Lawyer.
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Briefly“Nothing is certainin life but death and taxes.” – Benjamin Franklin In April, while more than 142 million tax returns are expected to be filed in the United States, Americans are woefully unprepared for that other inevitability, estate planning and creating a Will.
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Do you havea Will?57%of adults revealed that they do not have a Will92%of adults under 35 do not have a Will44%of baby boomers (45-64) do not have a Will
About Rocket LawyerHashelped 15 million consumers and small businesses with their legal needs20,000 Wills created a month on the siteCan be securely stored, shared, e-signed, and made available for legal review by a network of attorneys on Rocket Lawyer
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Empowering the customer“Everyone,regardless of age or wealth, needs a Will to spare loved ones from potentially expensive and stressful disputes and court procedures about your assets, funeral arrangements, and more. Without a Will, the Court makes the final decision about who takes care of your children. We make it easy and affordable to plan ahead and protect your loved ones. We hope that Make a Will Month encourages Americans to be proactive about their estate planning needs.” Charley MooreFounder and ChairmanRocket Lawyer
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Reasons for NotCreating a Will39%of men feel they do not need a Will26%of women blame the costRegardless of the reason, Americans with children, property and assets need a basic Will in place
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Recent Survey –Estate PlanningPeople who DO NOThave a WillPeople who DO have a Will53%37%61%46%People over 65 who DO NOT have a Will22%
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Recent Survey –Estate Planning32%Would rather do their taxes, get a root canal,or give up sex for a month than do their Will35%43%Men leave money to spouseWomen leave equal amountsto all
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Protecting Assets –3 Key Tips1Update Your Will With Every Major Life EventIt is important to review and update a Will regularly. Change in marital status, buying a home, children, divorce, death of beneficiaries and new tax laws are all reasons to update an existing Will. Keeping your Will up-to-date ensures that your wishes will be carried out in the event of death, and can keep your beneficiaries from having to engage in costly, emotionally draining and unnecessary court proceedings.
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Protecting Assets –3 Key Tips2Designate Beneficiaries and an ExecutorBeneficiaries are the people or organizations who receive property and the executor is the person designated to make sure a person’s wishes are carried out during the distribution of property. Your executor should be someone you trust to carry out and follow your wishes. Because your executor will have to deal with the legal and financial obligations of estate administration, it is a good idea to choose someone who has a head for finance, and can handle the responsibility.
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Protecting Assets –3 Key Tips3Share Your Will With Loved OnesIt is important to inform loved ones that they are included in your Will so they are not caught off guard upon your death. It is also important to let them know where your estate planning documents are stored so they can access, view and carry out your plan in a timely manner. By storing your Will safely and securely in the cloud, key family members have peace of mind to know exactly where to turn, saving time, money and hassle and most importantly prevent family conflicts.
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About the SurveyThissurvey was conducted by Harris Interactive by telephone within the United States on behalf of Rocket Lawyer between March 9 – 13, 2011 among a nationwide cross section of 1,001 adults (aged 18 and over), of whom 412 have a Will and 572 do not have a Will. For a full methodology, please contact rocketlawyer@bordersgratehouse.com.
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About Harris InteractiveHarrisInteractive is one of the world's leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight
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Known widely forThe Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods
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Serving clients inover 215 countries and territories through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us—and our clients—stay ahead of what's next