What to Actually Put in Your Will When You're in Your 20s or 30s
Not rich, no kids, not sure where to start? Here's a practical breakdown of what belongs in a will for young adults — and what you can skip.
By Willy Team · May 13, 2026 · 5 min read
Most guides to writing a will assume you have a sprawling estate, multiple properties, and grandchildren to worry about. If you're in your 20s or 30s, that's probably not your situation.
Your situation is probably more like: some savings, a few valuable things, loved ones, pets, maybe some crypto, definitely some opinions about what should happen. That's enough. That's what a will is for.
Here's what actually goes in one.
1. Who gets your stuff (your beneficiaries)
This is the main event. You're naming your beneficiaries — or organizations — who inherit your assets when you die.
You can be as simple or as specific as you want. Most of us go simple: one or two primary beneficiaries who split everything, plus a backup in case they die before you do.
A few things to think about:
Your partner. If you're not married, they get nothing by default. Name them explicitly if you want them to inherit.
Percentages vs. specific amounts. 'Everything to Sam' is cleaner than '$10,000 to Sam' — because your bank balance will change, but your intention probably won't.
Backup beneficiaries. What if your primary beneficiary dies before you? Name an alternate. Otherwise, that share goes through the intestacy formula — which probably isn't what you want.
Charities. Completely valid. If you care about an organization, you can leave them a percentage of your estate or a specific dollar amount.
2. Specific gifts
Some things matter enough to name explicitly.
Your grandmother's jewelry. The vintage record collection. The car. The guitar. These items have meaning attached to them, and 'everything to Sam' doesn't guarantee they end up where you actually want them.
When you're listing specific gifts, be precise. Don't say 'my guitar' if you own three. Say 'my 1972 Martin D-28.' The more specific, the less room for confusion.
You can also name specific dollar amounts here — 'I leave $2,000 to my cousin Maya' — alongside a broader 'everything else to...' clause.
3. Your executor
The executor is the person who carries out your will. They're not deciding anything — you've already decided. They're just handling the logistics: paying your debts, filing the paperwork, distributing your assets, closing accounts.
Pick someone who is:
- Organized and responsible
- Unlikely to be too emotionally overwhelmed to function
- Comfortable dealing with some bureaucracy
- In a position to actually do it (lives nearby, has the time)
It's a real job, not an honorary title. Talk to them before you name them. Make sure they're willing.
Name a backup executor too, in case your first choice can't serve when the time comes.
4. Pet guardians
Pets can't be beneficiaries — legally they're property — but you can name a guardian who agrees to take them, and you can leave that person money to cover care.
Be specific about which pets go to whom, especially if you have more than one. And include some care notes — your dog's medications, your cat's vet, their routines. Your guardian might know your pets well already, but a written record helps.
5. A personal message (optional but worth considering)
Not legally binding, but often the most meaningful part of a will for those who receive it.
You can write individual notes to specific loved ones, or a general statement about your values and wishes. This is the part where you get to actually sound like yourself rather than a legal document.
Some leave instructions for their funeral or memorial — music, readings, vibe. Again, not legally enforceable, but most honor it.
What you can probably skip
Retirement accounts (401k, IRA). These have their own beneficiary designations that supersede your will. Update them directly through your account — your will doesn't control them.
Life insurance. Same thing. Beneficiary is designated on the policy, not through your will.
Joint bank accounts. If an account has a joint owner or a 'payable on death' designation, it transfers automatically. Your will doesn't touch it.
Stuff you own jointly. If you co-own property with someone, the ownership structure (not your will) usually determines what happens to it.
None of this means those things don't matter — it just means they're handled through different paperwork. Worth reviewing all of them while you're thinking about this stuff.
A note on fairness
Some of us tie ourselves in knots trying to divide everything equally among everyone we love. That can work, but it doesn't have to be the goal.
Your will doesn't have to be fair in a mathematical sense. It has to reflect what you actually want. Maybe one person needs more support. Maybe one person already has more. Maybe one person is the right fit to take on something specific.
You don't have to explain your choices in your will. You can, in a personal message. But the will itself just states the outcome — not the reasoning.
How long does it need to be?
Shorter than you think. A will for a young adult with a simple situation might be two or three pages. It doesn't need to be long to be legally valid.
What it needs to be is clear, witnessed, and signed. Everything else is details.
The most commonly skipped step
Most of us write the will and then never sign it in front of witnesses. An unsigned will is not a will.
Find two witnesses who aren't in your will to watch you sign it. They sign it too. That's it. That's what makes it legal.
Schedule the signing at the same time you finish the document. Don't let it sit in a folder for six months waiting for the right moment. The right moment is now.