It’s often said that your 20s are for living and having fun, with little responsibility. However, as you work your way through your 20s, you begin to acquire responsibility.

Whether you buy a house, have a child, or begin to build up some money in the bank, it is important to have a will put into place now. Otherwise, what are you waiting for?

Here’s some reasons why you should consider making a will before you turn 30;

Your Family

If you don’t have a spouse and fail to make a will, then in the event of your death ‘rules of intestacy’ will apply.

This rule usually means that if you’re in your 20s and pass away, then your parents will inherit your assets.

If you would rather your siblings, or another family member inherit your assets, then you need to make a will stating this.

Likewise, if you have a partner whom you are not married to and wish to inherit your assets, this needs to be stated in your will.

Children

While the average age to become a parent in the UK has been gradually increasing and has now reached over 30, it is still very common to have children in your 20s. You should use your will to make provision for your children and appoint a legal guardian for them.

This is required of you as, if anything happens to either yourself or your partner, a legal guardian will have to be appointed to assume responsibility of your child, until they are 18.

Property

If you are lucky enough to own property in your 20s, then it is very important to have a will, to ensure the correct person inherits your estate in the event of your death.

If you share the property with someone and own it as ‘tenants in common’, then unlike what you may think, your share does not automatically pass over to the other owner if you pass.

As we discussed before ‘rules of intestacy’ will apply and your half of the property will be inherited by your closest relatives, which will usually be your parents.

Social Media

Social media has been around for quite some time now, enough time that if you are in your 20s, most of your life is online in some form. Every birthday, milestone and achievement. These are sentimental memories which most loved ones would want to keep hold of.

If you make a will you have the power to choose an executor to log into your social media and online accounts to export any documentation that may be needed by your family or partner.

They can also download any sentimental photographs then close down your account.

You can legally make a will when you are over the age of 18 and it is always worth it, even if you feel like you don’t have a lot of assets right now, overtime they will grow.

It’s commonly assumed that a will is something you need to make later in life. However, it may sound bleak, but you never truly know what is around the corner, so having a will is important no matter your age.

Whatever assets you gain in the years following the creation of your will, will still be distributed in accordance with the terms of your will. You can even provide for children you don’t have yet. So, don’t just wait around until you have children before you choose to write one.

We would always advise you to review your will as you get older, as we appreciate that situations change and what you wanted in your 20s may not be what you want in your 30s. Either way, we are here to help.

If you are considering writing a will in your 20’s, get in touch with us today to be put in touch with a solicitor who specialises in wills, so that they can guide you through the process. We can offer a full scope of legal services, including wills, trust and probate matters. To discuss writing your will, either call us on 0333 355 7666, or contact us by email.