Making a posthumous plan for your estate can create some uncomfortable questions and conversations. It’s completely normal to hesitate to complete this because of the emotions it can evoke, and want to postpone it for another time. But here’s the reality: not having an estate plan can make the process even more painful and stressful (amidst the grieving process) for those closest to you.

It’s estimated two-thirds of Americans do not have documented plans for their assets in the form of a will or trust. The reasons vary from the cost of estate planning through an attorney to simply avoiding difficult decisions. However, the core issue remains: without a valid estate plan, your family could face going to probate to fight over what you worked hard for. But with Origin’s estate planning product, you can make sure your assets go to the people who you cherish the most. Here’s what this means for Origin members:

1. If you have assets, large or small, it should be considered

Isn’t estate planning meant for those with a significant list of assets? I asked our very own Matt Shapiro, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(tm), about who should consider having a will or trust.

“Every adult should have more basic documents (will, healthcare directive, power of attorney). Even if it’s a will leaving everything to a parent,” he said. "Everyone has an estate plan even if they don't know it.” He is referring to the laws and procedures of your state of residency. Without the components of an estate plan, the state will process and divide your assets on your behalf.

Origin makes it easy to have a legally binding plan that is valid in all 50 states. The user-friendly guided flow makes it simple to process and have something to give your family and other loved ones peace of mind.

2. Create your will or trust, without an expensive attorney

There are estate planning attorneys who specialize in crafting wills and trusts for their clients. As you can imagine, estate planning costs are lofty. Prices vary widely but expect to spend at least $1,000 in most cases. And the more assets and clauses you have, you’re likely to pay additional premiums.

It may be worth consulting an attorney if you have a significant amount of assets, but for the majority of people, do-it-yourself estate planning can be sufficient. By creating your will or trust documents on Origin, you can save thousands of dollars on estate planning – without sacrificing any legal validity.

3. You can make as many changes as you need, and send it to the people who need to have it

As life happens and changes, the circumstances of your assets may change. Maybe you get married or divorced, have children, purchase real estate, or simply wish to add or remove recipients as you see fit. Instead of hiring an attorney each time you need to make adjustments, Origin members are able to make unlimited edits and changes to their estate plan.

The last step in the process is to ensure the document is notarized. You can potentially find a notary for free at a local bank or credit union, or use an online notary service. To learn more, check out our blog on how to notarize a will.

Bottom Line

It’s largely mistaken that one’s assets or estate will simply go to their children or close family members in the case that someone passes away. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and millions of Americans end up in probate each year.

Estate planning can be a very uncomfortable process, but it’s an essential part of your financial journey nonetheless. You’ve worked hard to accumulate the assets you have, and estate planning is a much more secure path to ensuring it goes to the right people.