The purpose of a will is to ensure that you get to determine how your assets are distributed after your death. If you don’t have a properly executed will, your assets will be distributed according the State’s set guidelines. For some people, that might be okay. However, if you have a specific idea about how your assets should be distributed, or if you have heirs you want to disinherit, a will is the only way to make sure this happens.
A community property agreement is an agreement between spouses as to the distribution of their assets after death. In many cases, a community property agreement will help a couple avoid probate after the death of the first spouse. For that reason, our firm encourages spouses to have a community property agreement and a will.