I should get on that stuff too.

It won't really be a pressing concern for me unless/until my folks predecease me, which hopefully will be far off in the future.

You should still have a basic will that names one of them as your personal representative. Otherwise they have to go through intestate probabe to get letters of administration to allow them to do things like sell your car and close bank accounts, etc. Having access to your accounts is not enough; they need to be joint account holders as well to keep the accounts out of probate (and non-taxable). There's other tax questions to consider concerning the retirement account and the value of your personal possessions.

(I'm really sorry that I'm so adamant, but I'm steeped in this right now, and it's not pretty.)

edit: Or what Zenkitty said. Much, much more succintly.

This all reminds me that I need to make sure my dad has a will. I know I have power of attorney (and/or possibly medical power of attorney [note to self: check that shit out, too]), but I'm pretty sure he doesn't have a will because -- and I quote -- "I don't have anything worth putting in a will." I believe I've told him that it would make things easier on my brother and me if he has a will, and he just got angry. Which was awesome.

And I'm all too aware that, as Tim's girlfriend and not wife, legally I am just some person he knows.

Zimmerman is a moron. In fact, there are stupid people around the world going "That's my hey!" right now, because at least they didn't hurt anybody and I'm lumping them in with him.

I'm having a real effort not to warble "The Circle of Life" about now.

Me three. I can't believe a spouse would only get 50% and parents would get 50%?!!? I thought when you married it went to your spouse! Maybe it's a crazy Maryland law? Geez. That sucks.

I should have a will. What I do have is half-price Easter candy, so that's something?

There's property you own in common with your spouse and property that you own separately and they are treated differently as parts of the estate. And how they are defined and how they are handled varies by state.

I can't believe a spouse would only get 50% and parents would get 50%?!!? I thought when you married it went to your spouse! Maybe it's a crazy Maryland law? Geez.

Nope, that's not that unusual.

Dying intestate is not recommended, folks. Which reminds me: I should do something about that, as well. I don't have much worldly goods worth worrying about (except for all my books, yikes), but I have retirement money I would want to go to my nephews and niece for their college funds.

If nothing else, it seems worthwhile to save my mother (god forbid)/other heirs the headache of dealing with it. As per Maria.