You’re not too Young to Make a Will

Few events in modern history have reshaped our perspective on mortality as profoundly as the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 - 2022 marked three of the deadliest years in history with over 7 million deaths, including more than 1.8 million deaths from COVID-19 in Canada and the U.S.

That’s 1.8 million people whose lives were cut short because a pandemic caught the world by storm and swept across the globe with breathtaking speed. Many of those lost would still be with their loved ones today celebrating together at birthdays and holiday gatherings. How many imagined that 2020 would be the final chapter of their lives?

The pandemic normalized dying and death

One consolation prize of the pandemic has been a refreshing new social normalization of discussions around death and mortality. People en masse began to consider their mortality as seen by the floods of people who rushed to write or update their wills during those three years. Estate planning advisors both in-person and online saw a surge in new clients, and one popular online will planning service saw a 600% increase in traffic.

From a young age, I was troubled by the combination of the inevitability of death and its elusive timing. I still have a little scrap of a poem I wrote at 6 years old, with the lines “…sing again and again, sing until your death begins. And sing so loud that you’ll be heard, and sing your death away…”

Macabre? Maybe. But also my childhood’s valiant scheme to outwit death.

Professionally, I work in the health sector. I marvel at the power of science to combat disease and extend our days on this planet. Yet I still feverishly read through books like “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi. This memoir poignantly explores the life and illness of a neurosurgeon who ultimately succumbs to cancer.

Kalnithi candidly wrestles with his fate in his words: “I began to realize that coming in such close contact with my own mortality had changed both nothing and everything. Before my cancer was diagnosed, I knew that someday I would die, but I didn’t know when. After the diagnosis, I knew that someday I would die, but I didn’t know when … The fact of death is unsettling. Yet there is no other way to live.”

This is certain. One day you will die, but you don’t know when. We can’t escape death’s promise, but we have a death hack. A simple way to plan our legacy beyond death.

Living well includes planning well.

A will is a legal document that outlines your intentions regarding the distribution of your assets, the care of your children, and even pets once you pass away. Without a will, your plans might not be honoured.

Rules of intestacy dictate how your assets and property are distributed if you die without a will. That means someone you intended to benefit, receives nothing. And someone you didn’t want to inherit can make a claim. Not to mention, neglecting to make a will can lead to significant delays and expenses for your loved ones

A will is an actionable step you can take today to outwit death or at least stymie the impact on your loved ones once you take your final breath.

In November 2020, legendary soccer player, Diego Maradona, passed away from a heart attack at the age of 60, leaving no will, but he did leave behind a significant fortune through investments, real estate, luxury cars, and jewelry.

His estate is complicated. With at least eight surviving children from different relationships over the decades, the lack of a will has opened the door to potential family disputes and paternity claims, likely paralyzing the settlement of his estate for years to come.

The twist? In a 2019 recording, Maradona expressed his intention to leave no inheritance, stating “I tell you all that I’m not going to leave anything behind, I’m going to donate it.” Despite this, his estate—estimated to range from $75 million to $500,000—remains unsettled.

Without a will on record, any potential heirs can claim a share of his estate. A judge will have to determine the distribution of his luxury properties, Rolls Royce, diamonds, image rights, and collectible soccer memorabilia. The resulting delays, legal costs, and potential family infighting could have been avoided or mitigated if Maradona had left a will.

A Will changes everything

Sure Maradona’s estate is an extreme case, but it happens more often than you’d think. Estimates show that 68% of Americans and 50% of Canadians do not have a will.

We carefully plan birth plans, and DNR and AND orders when making end-of-life health decisions with our loved ones. Both bookend the start and end of life from a health care perspective, yet, somehow, we put off making a will, which can impact multiple lives, for another day.

What if you die before you make your will? Are you comfortable with a judge deciding the future of the little lives you nurture or the assets you’re working hard to grow? Regardless of the type of assets you value, having a will is crucial.

View a will as your social responsibility. Not an option. An action to take today, not someday.

In my work managing charitable bequests, I often review the wills of those who have passed. Each time I read through the details of a will, I’m deeply humbled. But it’s not the value of the estate that moves me. It’s seeing the care they took to account for their valuables, meaning their loved ones and their material possessions.

A will reflects that a person appreciates life and the scant or bountiful treasures they acquired to the degree they want to responsibly ensure their legacy and the journey of these treasures after death.

The most common reasons people avoid making a will are that it is too expensive or too time-consuming, but today it’s easier than ever. There are online ‘do-it-yourself’ options that are time-efficient and affordable. And even if you choose to invest more time and money by consulting a lawyer, isn’t it worth the peace of mind that comes from knowing your assets are in order and your wishes will be respected?

Death doesn’t care about your age or marital status or if you have kids

The unexpected can happen at any time, yet most younger adults don’t create a will because they believe they haven’t accumulated enough wealth. But it’s not just about what you have now. Even if you’re young and own little, consider this: what if an accident leads to your death, and a settlement is awarded afterward? Wouldn’t you want to be the one who decides how that settlement—and your estate—is distributed?

If it’s not crystal clear yet, if you are an adult, you need a will

Death is being rebranded. No longer the haunting coda to the four-movement symphony of life, now we have a new impetus to look at death as a part of life. We can now visualize our death and not look away. The sting is still there, but we are slightly more emboldened to acknowledge and prepare the best we can for that fateful day.

We plan weddings, we plan vacations and we plan our educational and career pathways. Let’s make will and estate planning just as essential. The pandemic has proven that anything can happen. The best we can do is be prepared.