A Will Is Not Just for the Wealthy: What Every Christian Family Needs to Have in Place
August 2, 2026 · Dream Builder Academy (Automated)
A Will Is Not Just for the Wealthy: What Every Christian Family Needs to Have in Place
You worked hard for what you have. Maybe it isn't a mansion or a massive investment portfolio. Maybe it's a car, a modest savings account, some furniture, and a whole lot of love poured into your kids. And somewhere in the back of your mind, you've thought, I should probably get a will someday. But then life happens, and someday keeps getting pushed back.
Family, I need us to talk about this today.
The Myth That's Leaving Families Exposed
Here's the story most of us tell ourselves: Wills are for rich people. I don't have enough to bother.
That story is costing families dearly, and not just financially.
A recent Trust & Will Estate Planning Report found that 56% of U.S. adults have no estate planning documents whatsoever. None. And here's the part that stopped me cold: Gen X, which is the heart of our Dream Builder community, is the least protected generation. 62% of Gen Xers have no estate planning documents in place. That's higher than Gen Z, higher than Millennials, higher than Baby Boomers.
Many of us are raising kids, sandwiched between aging parents, and building whatever we've got, all without a single document that says what happens if we're gone tomorrow.
And the cost of ignoring this isn't just financial. The same report found that 42% of Americans wouldn't know what to do if a family member died today. 27% have never discussed their end-of-life wishes with their loved ones and don't plan to. That's not a legal problem. That's a love problem. Because when we leave those questions unanswered, we hand our grieving families a crisis to navigate on top of a loss.
What a Will Is Actually For
Let me gently challenge the idea that a will is about how much you have. It's really about three things that have nothing to do with wealth.
First, it names who raises your children. If you have minor children, this is the most important document you will ever sign. A will allows you to designate a guardian. Without it, a court decides. A judge who has never met your family, doesn't know your values, and doesn't know your faith will make that call. That alone should move this to the top of the list.
Second, it directs where your stuff goes. Even a modest estate can become a source of conflict when there's no direction. Who gets the car? Who handles the bank account? Who takes care of your dog? Without a will, state law decides, and state law doesn't know what you would have wanted.
Third, it reduces conflict during grief. Families fight over estates. Even loving families. Even families who think they've talked about everything. A clear, documented will removes ambiguity and gives your family permission to grieve instead of argue.
Three Terms You Need to Understand Before You Talk to an Attorney
You don't have to become a legal expert. But knowing these three things will help you walk into a conversation with an estate attorney ready to ask the right questions.
A will is a legal document that states your wishes for distributing your assets and, crucially, names guardians for minor children. It goes through a court process called probate after you die, which can take time and become public record.
A beneficiary designation is separate from your will. It's the form you fill out on your bank accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and similar assets that names who receives that money directly when you die. Here's the important thing: a beneficiary designation overrides your will. If your will says one thing and your beneficiary form says another, the form wins. Many families don't realize this until it's too late. It's worth reviewing those forms regularly, especially after a marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child.
A trust is a legal arrangement where a trustee manages assets on behalf of your beneficiaries, often allowing assets to transfer outside of probate. Trusts can be useful in a variety of situations, but whether one makes sense for your family is a question for a qualified estate attorney who knows your specific circumstances.
These three tools work together. Understanding the difference is not about doing it yourself. It's about showing up to that attorney conversation informed.
What Procrastination Actually Costs
Here's the practical reality. If you die without a will, your state has one for you. It's called dying intestate, and your state's intestacy laws determine who gets what. Those laws may not reflect your wishes at all.
Assets without named beneficiaries may also pass through probate, which can mean court timelines, legal costs, and records that become publicly accessible. For families already navigating grief, adding a lengthy court process on top of that is a burden that planning could have prevented. The exact timelines and costs vary significantly by state and situation, so an estate attorney can help you understand what applies to your family specifically.
The other cost is harder to quantify: the conversations that never happened. The 27% of Americans who have never discussed end-of-life wishes and don't plan to aren't just leaving a legal gap. They're leaving their people without a map.
This Is Bigger Than a Legal Document
Proverbs 13:22 says, "A good person leaves an inheritance for their children's children."
I want us to sit with that for a second, because I think we've narrowed this verse down to money, and it's so much bigger than that. An inheritance can be values. It can be clarity. It can be a family that doesn't fracture under the weight of grief because you loved them enough to make a plan.
What you leave behind is a spiritual statement about what you valued. Intentional planning is an act of love. It says: I thought about you. I cared enough to do the hard thing. I wanted to make this easier for you.
That's faithfulness. That's stewardship. And it doesn't require a large estate to live it out.
Your Homework This Week
Here's where I want you to start.
1. Have the conversation. Sit down with your spouse or a trusted family member this week and just start talking. What would you want? Who would raise your kids? This isn't morbid. It's one of the most loving things you can do.
2. Pull up your beneficiary designations. Check your bank accounts, retirement accounts, and any life insurance policies. Are they current? Do they still reflect your wishes? Many families find it worth reviewing these regularly to make sure nothing has been left behind from a life change.
3. Find a qualified estate attorney in your area. Ask your church, your community, your network. Look for someone who explains things clearly and doesn't make you feel rushed. You're looking for a trusted professional who can guide you through what documents make sense for your situation.
4. Write down your questions before you go. Guardian for your children. What happens to your home. How your accounts are titled. Bring your list. You belong in that room.
You don't have to have it all figured out before you start. You just have to start.
The families who get this right aren't the ones with the most money. They're the ones who loved each other intentionally enough to make a plan. That can be your family.
Let's go do this thing. I'm cheering for you SO hard!
Xxoo aa
Reflection question: If something happened to you tomorrow, what would your family spend the most energy trying to figure out, and what would it look like to give them that answer now?
Ashley Abplanalp Money Coach + Founder Dream Builder Academy TheDreamBuilderAcademy.com
This content is for education only and is not legal or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.