By The Office of Financial Readiness      August 2026

If you're like most people, creating a will is probably not high on your to-do list. In fact, more than half of Americans do not have wills. Peace of mind comes with creating one, and it's much easier than you might think.

Benefits of creating a will

A will is an important part of the legal plan to distribute and close your estate after your death. As a Service member, you and your spouse should have updated wills to ensure your wishes are honored — even if you don't have children or valuable property.

Benefits include:

• The opportunity to select a guardian to care for your minor children and/or exceptional family members
• Permitting you to name an executor to pay bills, cancel credit cards, and administer and oversee the distribution of your estate
• The chance to make bequests and donations to loved ones and charities, potentially lowering your estate taxes
• The ability to avoid probate, a time-consuming, expensive, legal process required to transfer the money and property of those who die intestate, or without wills
• Relieving family stress and discord during an already difficult time

Prepare information for your will

An attorney from your installation's legal assistance office can help create your will for free and reduce legal challenges for your heirs. Find out more at: https://legalassistance.law.af.mil/. Don't forget to ask what documents and information you will need to get started.

Your lawyer may want:

• Personal information, including legal names, birth dates, birth places, occupations, addresses and phone numbers for you and your spouse, children and any other beneficiaries, as well as potential guardians or executors.
• Marital information, including the date and place of your current marriage and any previous marriages, as well as prenuptial agreements, divorce decrees and custody paperwork.
• A list of your debts, such as mortgages, loans and promissory notes. Don't forget to include account locations and where to find your login information.
• A list of your assets, including cash, bank accounts, life insurance policies, pension plans, 401(k)s, annuities, businesses, property, cars, boats, jewelry, furniture and items of sentimental value. Don't forget to include any account locations and where to find your login information.
• A list of beneficiaries you plan to name and any bequests you want to make, such as cash, property and personal possessions. Make sure to add secondary beneficiaries and a distribution plan in case your spouse predeceases you or you die at the same time.
• A list of representatives you want to protect your interests, such as executors, lawyers, trustees, and guardians for minor children and/or exceptional family members. Include any relevant qualifications, relationships and contact information. Discuss your plans with these individuals and obtain their explicit consent. Consider listing backups or hiring a trust company or lawyer to administer your estate.
• Other relevant information, such as the names and addresses of financial, personal and business advisors; family lawyers and trust companies, as well as copies of any existing wills or estate documents.

Review and update your will

Although you can update your will at any time, experts recommend reviewing it every three to five years, upon any estate law updates and whenever you undergo major life changes such as:

• Marriage or divorce
• A birth or death in your family
• A large increase or decrease in the value of your property
• If an executor or guardian dies or becomes unavailable
• Changes to your place of duty or state of legal residence
• Before a military deployment
• If your property distribution changes

Make sure the beneficiaries listed on your investment, retirement, life insurance and bank accounts match the beneficiaries named in your will.

Learn more and get started

Keep in mind that writing a will is only one step in a much larger estate planning process. A will alone might not be enough to protect your family. Wills don't:

• Plan for mental or physical incapacity
• Address joint property
• Govern assets that go to a beneficiary by contract, such as joint tenancies with rights of survivorship, life insurance, bank accounts, IRAs, 401(k)s and Thrift Savings Plans (TSPs)
• Protect assets for minor children

Read more about estate planning and consider whether trusts, living wills, and powers of attorney are right for your family at https://finred.usalearning.gov/Planning/EstatePlanning.