The Last Will and Testament is an important legal document which tells the court (upon your death) how you want distribution of your probatable estate. Not all property goes through probate. For example, property held jointly would pass to the survivor without the necessity of being probated in most cases. A will has several components which tells the court:

• whom you want to be your personal representative [Executor];
• whom you name as guardian of your minor children, if you have any;
• whom you name as the conservator of any monies received by minor children;
• the terms of any trust you might want to establish.

A will is part of the estate planning process. While younger service members seem to accumulate little assets, the need for estate planning grows more important as one grows older and begins to accumulate more assets than debts. The most important aspect is for the servicemember to take care of one's survivors. In addition to normal investments, life insurance (SGLI for service members) is a vital part of this. For the most part, it avoids estate taxes and avoids probate. Correct estate planning can minimize the amount of taxes paid to the government, thus allowing your heirs to inherit more.

Your Major Command (MACOM) JAG can assist you in preparing a simple will and provide overall estate planning counseling. However, sophisticated estate planning requires the services of an attorney who specializes in this. Your JAG will advise you whether you need an expert.