Your life, your choice, your legacy: why estate planning matters for the single person

In acknowledging Estate Planning Awareness Week, October 20 – 25, 2025, Agnes Ptasznik, estate planning attorney at Chuhak & Tecson, P.C., explains something that does not always get enough attention. Why it is so important for single people to have an estate plan.

Even if you are not married, you probably have people you care deeply about, maybe a partner, close friends or family members. An estate plan ensures that you decide who will inherit your assets. Without one, state intestacy laws take over and those default rules may not reflect your wishes.

For example, if you are in a committed relationship, but not legally married, your partner would not automatically receive anything under the law and will not receive anything at all unless you have specifically named them as a beneficiary on an account or policy or provided for them in your estate plan.

And if you do not have a partner, estate planning is just as important. It allows you to decide who should receive your property, such as siblings, nieces or nephews, friends or charities that matter to you, instead of leaving those decisions to state law.

Estate planning is not just about “who gets what.” It is about protecting yourself, your loved ones and the causes that reflect your values — ensuring that your wishes, not the state’s rules, guide what happens next.

If you have not started yet, reach out to an experienced estate planning attorney here at Chuhak & Tecson, someone who can help you put the right plan in place for your situation. It is one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give yourself — and the people you care about.

Client alert authored by Agnes A. Ptasznik (312 849 4139), associate.

This Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. communication is intended only to provide information regarding developments in the law and information of general interest. It is not intended to constitute advice regarding legal problems and should not be relied upon as such.