BY AARDE WRITES for WEEKLY VOLCANO | 10/16/2026
Hey Aarde,
I’ve been reading about the process of death planning, and I am curious about a few things. Is it expensive to write and execute a will? Do you need to have a lot to leave behind to have one? How does someone get an official will? Lastly, is there somewhere in Pierce County I can go to learn more about writing one?
Signed,
Tupperware Inheritance
Hey Tupperware Inheritance,
This is one of my favorite topics: the idea that an item’s value extends beyond monetary value and lands somewhere between the functional, sentimental, and ecological. It is commonly believed that you must have great wealth, many properties, or high-value items to leave a will or inheritance. But that isn’t always the case. Sometimes, the best gift to leave your loved ones is a plan.
Trust me, no one wants to sort through your boxes of Q-tips and coffee mugs while they’re trying to grieve you. A plan offers your loved ones the space to mourn.
Now, to break down these misnomers. You don’t need gold bars, silver candelabras, or diamonds and rubies to have a will. Let’s say you’ve spent your life collecting free bookmarks, extremely valuable to you, but not a big selling point to anyone else. But your niece spent three summers with you carefully putting them into an album for safekeeping. You’d laugh over the funny ones, and hold the pretty ones to your heart. These bookmarks carry more value in memories to your niece than on the open market. And I’d bet that she would want the opportunity to look through them when she longed to be closer to you. Sometimes the things with the smallest monetary value carry the greatest sentimental weight.
In that way, a will is as much about people as it is about possessions. It’s not just an inventory of all the crap you’ve accumulated; it’s evidence of the love of the people who matter to you extending after you’ve gone. Beyond deciding who receives what tangible items, a will can nominate guardians for minor children, name someone to administer your estate, and help prevent confusion among surviving loved ones. No one wants to watch family members fight over your Santa collection.
Don’t be fooled that you have to be elderly to prepare a will. Nothing is further from the truth! I mean, yes, if you are older, you should definitely have one in place, but young folks should prepare this document for their loved ones, too. Accidents happen. Sickness happens. Being prepared lets you focus on what matters in the end, without distraction.
It’s great for you to know that writing a will doesn’t need to be expensive. Obviously, if you have a very complex estate and need paragraphs of legalese, you might “be in the pocket” for a lawyer to draft the documents. But most people can hire an estate planning attorney, use inexpensive online services, or go to the public library to write one for free. The goal is to find an option that works for your plan without sacrificing legal validity, and that’s the easy part.
It is pretty straightforward in Pierce County to write a legally valid will. Generally, you must be at least 18, of sound mind, and sign a written will in the presence of two competent witnesses who also sign it. You don’t need a lawyer or official notarization, but having an attorney review it for a nominal fee can help prevent costly mistakes.
Consider this, when someone dies without a valid will, their property (bank accounts, house, and other assets) goes into probate, where state intestacy laws determine who inherits. Just think how their determination may not reflect your relationships, intentions, or personal circumstances. This is not only time-consuming, but also emotionally taxing for the family. So unless you want Washington law to decide for you, write a will.
A will gives you a voice beyond the grave (spooky).
It’s important to understand that a will and a complete estate plan are different aspects to your death planning. And if you really want to impress your family, a complete estate plan will do it. These include powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and beneficiary designations, sure to set them up for success. Don’t make them have to decide to pull the plug. Spare them the trauma of speaking for your body without knowledge of your wishes, or worse yet, watching the opposite happen of what they know you’d prefer.
Preparing for death has real power. It lets you really live. Some find this task morbid, but I think there’s real beauty in facing the inevitable, solidifying your wishes, and being present. Accept it, you’re not immortal. So deal with it and move on! Doing so will save your family from feeling resentment toward you. Your transition will be strongly based in the frequency of love (assuming you weren’t consistently inconsiderate to those around you).
And if it all feels too irrevocable, keep in mind, wills can be amended. You can review and make changes as your circumstances change. Family tiffs, misunderstandings, or temporary arguments can change quickly, so don’t make a permanent decision. Regularly updating your will ensures it reflects your current and thoughtful wishes.
Local legal assistance:
- Pierce County Law Library at 930 Tacoma Avenue South offers public access to legal information and research materials.
- The Tacoma-Pierce Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service (253- 383-3432) can connect residents with attorneys.
- Hilltop Artists partners with FREEWILL.com for asset planning.
- Washington’s CLEAR legal hotline (888-201-1014) helps eligible low-income residents access legal advice and referrals.
- Residents 60 and older can contact CLEAR*Senior at 888-387-7111. These services can help people understand their options, although assistance with drafting a will may depend on eligibility and available resources.
- Local estate sale companies like Varadi Estate Sales (I am affiliated), Foss Appraisals, Epic! Estate Sales, and more are all companies to vet for extensive collections.
Google death planning near you to find practitioners near you!
Grief is complicated enough without asking our loved ones to become detectives, accountants, and referees while mourning us. We cannot spare the people we love from the sadness of losing us, but we can spare them some of the uncertainty of what to do with our legacy. Planning for our absence is, in its own quiet way, an expression of how much we care about their future.
Do you have a question for Ask Aarde? Send it to: Jdaarde@gmail.com.
