Many Territorians pass away each year without a valid Will, or a Will that should’ve been updated to account for major life changes.

These major life changes include:

• Marriage or divorce
• Deaths/births of family members
• Real Estate bought/sold

If you have personal assets and responsibilities, like property/real estate, vehicles/boats, savings, shares or life assurance accounts, insurance, or even collectables, it’s time to make a valid Will or update your Will to ensure your wishes are considered.

It is also a good time to consider making an Advance Personal Plan (APP) to ensure your health care and financial preferences are followed in case you experience a temporary or permanent loss of decision-making capacity. The Public Trustee for the NT can safely store your Will and APP for free so your loved ones can find them easily when they are needed.

What better time than now, during National Wills Week? It’s the first time the nation has banded together in a coordinated effort to encourage all Territorians to advance their life planning — especially Will making and Advanced Personal Planning.

It’s also time to bust the myth that advance life planning is just for older people.

Let’s face it, making a Will isn’t a subject most young people want to talk about, and there is always the misconception that they don’t own enough assets to warrant a Will. You will be surprised!

If a young adult has any of the below, their wishes should be written into a valid Will:

• Children, a pet, a car, a savings account, gaming tech, digital assets, a designer wardrobe collection, or other collectable items;
• Personal loans, car loans or student loans;
• Entitlements as a beneficiary in someone else’s estate;
• Family heirlooms, art or jewellery;
• Life Insurance, or entitlement to a payout post an accident;
• Online accounts or user subscriptions;
• Strong feelings about funeral arrangements.

Research has shown, many young adults pass away each year without a valid Will – with a staggering portion of these adults falling within the 18- to 25-year age bracket. As the Public Trustee for the NT, these statistics are alarming, and that’s why I am taking action. We are calling all Territorians, aged 18 to 25 years, to Advance Yourself, and make a valid Will and an Advance Personal Plan (APP).  The Public Trustee for the NT can also store your Will and APP safely for free, so they are easy for your loved ones to find when needed. 

We’re also calling all parents and grandparents, carers and guardians to make sure they have a valid Will and an Advance Personal Plan (APP) as well as have this important conversation with their young loved ones.

National Wills Week is an annual campaign led by state and territory Public Trust services to raise awareness of the importance of advance life planning at all ages of life.