HARRISBURG (Sept. 8, 1997) -- Responding to a recent Pennsylvania Citizen's Survey, which revealed that fewer than half of adult Pennsylvanians have wills, the Pennsylvania Bar Association today launched an educational campaign to improve the public's understanding of wills and state inheritance laws. The campaign will include free information and speakers, public displays and other events across the Commonwealth.

Vincent J. Grogan, president of the PBA, said that people need to understand the importance of having a will to protect their loved ones.

"The only way to ensure that your personal affairs will be settled and your assets passed on according to your wishes -- is to have a will," Grogan said.

Under Pennsylvania law, when a person dies intestate (without a will) the state follows a uniform procedure to distribute the decedent's assets.

Depending on an individual's family situation and the size of the estate, these inflexible guidelines may cause friction in a family that is already grieving the loss of a loved one. He pointed out that settling an intestate estate can be much more complicated and time-consuming than settling the estate of a person who dies with a will.

"The additional legal procedures and bond postings required by the state for intestate estates generally cost a lot more than it would have cost the decedent to have a will prepared in advance. It is not a question of paying or not paying legal costs," Grogan stressed. "It's a question of paying up front to have a will prepared, or forcing your family to pay a lot more later in worry and legal hassles if you die without a will."

The cost of preparing a will, however, is only one of the reasons people cite for not having one. Lack of motivation, the belief that only rich people need one, and the feeling that wills remind people of their mortality were other reasons given for not having wills.

The "Why A Will Can't Wait" campaign will focus on these misconceptions by providing facts about the importance of having a will. A free brochure about wills is available from the Association by calling toll free 888-799-4557. Lawyers are also available through local county bar associations to speak to community groups whose members would like to learn more about wills and Pennsylvania inheritance laws.