If you’re married, one thing you may find yourself thinking about when doing your estate planning is who will be the one you appoint to oversee your estate. Are you going to appoint one your children, or will that job probably go to your spouse?
The truth is that the decision may come down to gender. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), women live anywhere from five to seven years longer than American men.
Naturally, this is just a statistical average and it will not apply to all couples. The wife could still pass away after her spouse. But looking at the averages tells you what is most likely to happen in most cases, and that’s what helps you plan for the future.
Wondering why men do not live as long? A few reasons include:
- Men actually age faster on a cellular level.
- Men tend to engage in more risky behaviors than women.
- Men may have a worse immune system.
- Men have more heart-related issues, and that’s significant with heart disease being a major killer in modern America.
- Men are more likely to be victims of violent crime or suicide.
Of course, regardless of your gender or marital status, it is wise to consider what will happen to your estate at the end of your life. You need to learn about all of the legal options that you have and the steps you should take to get things prepared in advance.
Your Fullerton estate planning attorney can offer guidance and advice when making these key decisions that will affect your loved ones.
