Are you thinking about your death? Do you already see yourself lying in a grave? Of course, the first two questions asked here are ridiculous. Very few people are thinking about their death in such direct terms. Yet all of us are going to have to face death sooner or later. How will your family survive living without you? How far have you come when it comes to preparing for this time? Most people haven’t done much of anything because they don’t want to come to terms with it. We’re not judging at all; it’s just time to put a little more emphasis on estate planning and preparation than you have in the past. The reason why you need to think about this is because even if you’re healthy, accidents happen. You could be in a bad car accident tomorrow, and your family could have trouble picking up the pieces after losing you. We can’t spare our family the stress of loss, but we can give them the hope of a secure future. Having a will takes care of this very well.

Yet a lot of people still do not have a will, thinking that it won’t hurt matters. As long as you married before death, you’re all set…right? Well, there are three surprising things you need to know about not having a will.

1. Your Children Could Get Nothing

Without a will, your children may not receive any portion of your estate. The law can assign your estate to your spouse, even if you’re separated. That would be a very unpleasant outcome. The amount that your children receive, if they receive anything at all, is completely determined by the law rather than your desires. Make sure that you get a will drawn up sooner than later.

2. The Crown May Take It All

The law is clear on one point above any other: if you do not leave a will and you have no close relatives, then the estate is transferred to the Crown. This is a hotly debated topic in some circles, but the best way to fight this outcome is to have a will drawn up as soon as possible. This is even more urgent if you have young children that need to be taken care of.

3. The Law Is the Last Word

Want a certain portion of your estate to go to a beloved friend that stood by your side through a bad time in your life? According to the law, that person doesn’t have any automatic right to any piece of your estate. So if you wanted to leave money to friend, you need to get a will that declares this. The law is the last word in terms of who gets what if there is no will to be found.

Overall, having a will helps you stay in the driver’s seat, so to speak. You should try to have as much control over your estate as possible. When you die without a will, you give up that control to a government power that does not and cannot have your family’s best interests in mind. Wills are very cheap to create, as they’re very standard in terms of solicitor services. Be sure that you contact a good solicitor today, as they can help you get things off the ground. Think of the future that you wish to give your family, and then make the right choice. You won’t be disappointed.