Many Christians suffer in many areas of their lives because of their failure to handle finances properly. The Bible has much to say about money and our proper use of it as good stewards of what the Lord has entrusted to us (Psalm 24:1; Luke 16:11). We need to begin our considerations of good stewardship with the first step in planning and the last statement of our priorities: The Last Will and Testament.

I have concluded that it is not for lack of information that most Christians have not make WILLS, but rather that the "information" they have is full of false notions about WILLS. Let's deal with these notions and try to provide some clarity. It is my intention to thereby encourage Christians to begin their financial planning with their WILL.

1. If people die without WILLS the law usually distributes the property in about the same way that they would have.

WRONG: The law has very little compassion built into it, and assumes that everyone, including your nearest relatives, will act "unseemingly." Settling your estate will therefore be costly, inconvenient, and restrictive. The law will not distribute your property based on who is the most needy or worthy, and will give absolutely nothing to the church or any charitable effort.

2. Only people with dependents need WILLS.

WRONG: A WILL is for anyone who has property and wants to direct where and to whom it will pass.

3. Only rich people need WILLS.

WRONG: Even if your property holdings are small to modest, making sure that your property is dealt with according to your wishes is important.

Wrong: If you die without a WILL, your property will be distributed legally as the State in which you live directs, and not according to your wishes. Your relatives will probably have little or nothing to say about your estate. In those instances where the State is not informed and relatives make the distribution or property, they often do not agree or cooperate.

WRONG: If you are apprehensive about the cost of a WILL, ask a number of attorneys what they charge for drafting a WILL that meets your needs. Attorneys are not shy about responding to questions about WILL costs if they know what you want to do with your property. The fee will be a bargain in any case. The amount of money saved in your estate, the aggravation and difficulty avoided by those who have to settle your affairs, and the assurance that your wishes will be carried out by law, are all worth the comparatively modest fee.

WRONG: Pre-packaged WILL kits are legal and are becoming more popular as they are being promoted by the mass media. However, the value of the lawyer and his expertise in drafting the precise language to meet a particular client's needs far surpasses the relatively small legal expense. Further, because WILLS must be executed in a precise and formal way to be valid, it could be devastatingly expensive to the estate if not executed properly because of the absence of competent legal advice.

WRONG: Holding property jointly is a most reasonable and highly recommended method of property transfer in case of the death of either party. However, joint tenancy does not deal with the problem of a common accident in which both joint tenants die. Neither does joint tenancy offer the many other advantages that a WILL offers such as naming guardians for minor children.

WRONG: Witnesses are not required to, and are not allowed to read the WILL unless given permission to do so by the testator. They merely witness that the document they sign has been declared to be the testator's WILL, that the testator is of age, and that the testator is of sound mind.

WRONG: Many people can give substantial gifts to charity, churches, and schools in their WILLS and provide for their relatives and dependents also. Most estate accumulations involve more than the testator imagines and more than relatives and dependents need.

WRONG: A spouse can leave the other spouse out of his or her WILL. However, the law in each State gives a spouse the right to take the share the State would give the surviving spouse if there were no WILL. In other words, a spouse can elect to take under the WILL or their statutory share against the WILL.

WRONG: The subsequent marriage of the maker of the WILL (testator) will automatically give inheritance rights in the estate to the new spouse, even if the WILL is never changed.

Let me repeat, a Last Will and Testament is the first step in planning and the last statement of our priorities. A WILL is our opportunity to indicate our desire to be obedient to the Lord even in death. A WILL can also contain clauses and phrases that can be a testimony to the unsaved as your WILL is read. Additionally, there is a sense of peace that comes from knowing that everything is in order if the Lord should call us home before we have completed our plan financially. Do not procrastinate any longer! Call your local Christian lawyer today, and make an appointment.