In New Zealand, we’re generally good at planning ahead. We save for a first home, prepare for retirement, take out insurance and make plans for the future. Yet one of the most important plans we can make is often the one we leave until later: writing a will.
It’s understandable. Life is busy, and a will can feel like something that’s only needed later in life. Others simply don’t know where to start. Yet a will is not really about death. It’s about care and making your wishes known.
The process of writing a will can feel daunting at first, but it often begins with a series of surprisingly practical questions.
These questions aren’t designed to catch you out or force difficult decisions overnight. Rather, they help translate your wishes into a clear and legally recognised plan.
One of the first considerations is choosing your executors.
Executors are the people who you put in charge of carrying out your wishes. It is worth thinking carefully about who you trust with this responsibility and who your backup executor will be if your first choices are unable or unwilling to act.
Then comes the question of beneficiaries.
A beneficiary is a person or charity who receives something you have left them in your will. Who would you like to leave property, money or possessions to? That may sound straightforward, but it often encourages deeper reflection about family, friends, and the causes that have mattered most throughout your life. Some people prefer equal shares, while others may wish to distribute their estate in different percentages based on individual circumstances.
Many New Zealanders also choose to leave specific cash gifts or treasured personal items to particular people.
A watch passed down through generations, an art collection that has special meaning, or a financial gift to support a grandchild’s future can all be clearly documented. Often it is these personal bequests that carry the deepest emotional significance.
Increasingly, people are also considering how they can leave a lasting impact through charitable giving.
A gift in a will, whether a fixed cash amount or a percentage of your total worth, can help support causes that have been close to someone’s heart during their lifetime.
A will can also provide guidance about funeral wishes.
Whether you would prefer burial, cremation, or another option, recording your preferences can offer valuable guidance to family members during what is often an emotionally overwhelming time. While circumstances can sometimes influence final decisions, providing some direction can lift a burden from those left behind.
Perhaps the most overlooked question of all is this: have I communicated my intentions to those closest to me?
A will is a legal document, but the conversations surrounding it are deeply human. Sharing your plans with family and loved ones can help manage expectations, reduce misunderstandings, and minimise the potential for conflict later on. While these discussions are not always easy, they are often far easier than leaving people to make assumptions after you are gone.
These conversations can also provide an opportunity to explain the thinking behind your decisions. People may not always agree with every choice, but they are more likely to understand and respect them when they know the reasons behind them.
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For many New Zealand families, the greatest value of a will is not financial at all. It is the certainty it provides. At a time when emotions are running high, a well-prepared will can offer clarity, reduce stress, and help loved ones focus on supporting one another rather than navigating uncertainty.
In the end, a will is more than a legal document. It is a final act of generosity, and one of the most practical and caring things any of us can leave behind.
See the previous article in this series: One of life’s most important conversations
Read more about leaving a gift in your will and the difference it can make.
