What Are the Most Important Things to Put in Your Will?

Date Updated: July 28, 2025

Written by:

Rachel Lustbader

Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.

Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers

The most important thing to put in your will is the name of your executor. Your funeral wishes, the names of your children’s legal guardians and the names of your beneficiaries should also be included in your will.

When the time comes to make a will, you must consider a number of factors, including who gets your money and assets and who will raise your children in the event something happens to you. First, however, you must consider who you want to act as your executor.

Name Your Executor

The executor’s job is to finalize all administration matters outlined in your will including collecting and valuing all assets and accounting for tax. They’re responsible for distributing your estate to your named beneficiaries and paying any taxes or debts the estate is liable for. Executors can be held personally liable for any mismanagement of estate funds, so they may find the burden of responsibility too much and refuse the role. In this instance, a court may appoint its own representative to carry out the duties.

Additional Considerations

Once you’ve named your executor, you can specify items such as your funeral wishes, the legal guardians for your children and where your money goes.

Your Funeral Wishes

In your will, you can specify whether you want to be cremated or buried and where you want to be laid to rest. Funeral wishes can also include the type of music to be played and where the funeral takes place. Let your family know of any wishes to avoid their making any plans prior to the will being read.

Name the Legal Guardians For Your Children

Assuming legal guardianship is a huge undertaking. If you have children under the age of 18, you can name a person or persons in your will to take care of them in the event of your and their other parent’s death. Make sure you speak to those you’ve chosen first before making your will to ensure they understand the full extent of their responsibilities.

Include Your Money and Assets

For many, the primary reason for making a will is to determine who receives their assets and monies after they pass. Your estate, a collective term for everything you own in your sole name, such as properties, savings and personal possessions, will include what you own now and what you may own at the time of death. If a property is jointly owned and there is a right of survivorship, you cannot bequeath your interest in it to anyone else in your will.

Your Beneficiaries

Bear in mind when bequeathing any property or other assets to your beneficiaries that your estate may be liable to estate tax once it’s transferred at death. There are no limits on who or how many beneficiaries you can name on your will. They can be family members, friends, organizations, charities and even the executor of your will.

Explanatory Letter

If you want, you can attach a letter to the will to explain specific wishes in more detail. This explanatory letter can also serve as a way of saying goodbye.