The Will as a Time Machine: How Today’s Decisions Shape Tomorrow’s Family Dynamics

In 1985, an engineer in Pune scribbled a short note in his diary: “Leave the apartment to Meera.” Twenty-five years later, that one line—never witnessed, never registered—sparked a bitter three-year court battle between siblings who had once shared mango ice cream after school. He thought he had done enough.

His children thought he had promised them something else. The courts didn’t care what anyone “thought.” They cared about evidence.

That’s the paradox of estate planning: you will never be around to see if it worked. It’s a one-way message to the future. If it’s unclear, you can’t explain. If it’s missing, the state steps in. A will isn’t just paperwork. It’s a time machine. It moves your intentions forward into a future you won’t live in and lets your loved ones step into that future with less chaos.

Most of us procrastinate on writing a will for the same reason we procrastinate on flossing or buying insurance: it’s uncomfortable and seems unnecessary. Death is abstract. Paperwork looks tedious. We assume our loved ones “know” what we want. Present bias makes us overweight the inconvenience today compared with the benefit tomorrow. Yet a will is like a seatbelt. You hope you’ll never “need” it, but it costs little and protects a lot.

Think about compounding. Saving ₹10,000 a month for 20 years at 8 percent ends up with more than ₹59 lakh—not because of anything done in year 20, but because of what started in year one. Estate planning works the same way. One afternoon spent writing a clear, witnessed will can compound into years of saved time, money and family relationships decades later. Clarity compounds. Confusion compounds too, but as legal fees, delays and resentment.

One of the least discussed but most powerful parts of a will is the executor. This is the person who will do the paperwork you won’t be around to do: file for probate, transfer titles, close accounts, pay off loans, handle taxes. They are the project manager of your legacy. Choose them with care. Reliability matters more than closeness. Give them instructions. Tell them where your documents are. Nominate an alternate. Executors are like referees in a game. If they’re good, nobody notices; if they’re bad, the game falls apart.

The small ritual of signatures and witnesses transforms a piece of paper into a legally recognizable will. Under India’s Succession Act, a will should be signed by the testator and attested by at least two witnesses. Without it, your “will” may be nothing more than a note in a diary. With it, you have a document courts will enforce. In many states, probate is mandatory for immovable property; succession certificates cover movable assets. Knowing which applies saves your heirs months of running around.

Estate planning isn’t just about who gets what. It’s about who cares for whom. If you have minor children, a will is where you name guardians. Without it, courts will decide. Even if your assets are small, naming a guardian can be the most important part of your will. A trust can hold assets for minors until they’re old enough to manage them. Think of a trust as a locked box with instructions on when and how to open it.

A few mental models make this easier. Like pilots running through pre-flight checks, your will should run through a simple checklist—assets, beneficiaries, executor, guardians, signatures. No fancy legalese required to start; professionals can refine it later. Instead of asking “What do I want to leave?” invert the question: “What mess do I want to avoid?” Work backward from the nightmare scenario—siblings fighting, assets frozen, taxes unpaid—and plan to prevent it. You don’t need to know every clause of the law. You just need to know your own situation and when to call a professional. Write down your intentions, then have someone review them.

Myths can be costly. “Everything automatically goes to my spouse or children.” Reality: without a will, intestate succession laws apply, and distribution may not match your wishes. Some states require probate; banks may insist on succession certificates. “A handwritten note is enough.” Reality: it might be accepted if properly signed and witnessed, but informal notes often fail. “I’m too young or don’t have enough assets.” Reality: a will is about clarity, not size. Even modest assets can cause disputes; guardianship matters even more if you have children.

You don’t need to draft a perfect legal document on day one. Begin with an inventory of assets—bank accounts, property, investments, digital assets, insurance, liabilities. List your beneficiaries. Name an executor and guardian, plus alternates. Write it down—even a simple draft. Witness and sign with two adult witnesses not benefiting from the will. Store it safely and inform key people where the original is kept. Review after major life events: marriage, birth, divorce, major purchases.

When people talk about “legacy,” they often mean money. But the most valuable legacy you leave may be the absence of conflict. A clear will is a gift of peace. It’s like the difference between a messy and a clean kitchen. The messy kitchen doesn’t just make cooking harder; it makes everyone irritable. The clean kitchen lets people focus on the meal. Your estate plan is that clean kitchen.

Indian families are more dispersed than ever. Children work in other cities or countries. Joint families are giving way to nuclear households. Real estate titles are often messy; digital assets and online accounts add new complexity. That means the old informal way—“everyone knows”—doesn’t work anymore. You need documentation. If you think of writing your will like updating your résumé, you won’t see it as a one-off event but as a living document. Set a calendar reminder every two years: “Review will and nominations.” This habit turns estate planning from an event into a ritual.

Consider two brothers with similar businesses. One wrote a will at 45 and updated it at 55. When he passed at 67, his executor transferred assets within three months. His children grieved but didn’t fight. The other always meant to write a will “next year.” When he died suddenly at 62, his heirs spent two years in court. Bank accounts froze. Property sales stalled. Relationships soured. Same wealth. Different planning. Different outcomes.

A will is a one-time investment with long-term returns: time saved for your family, money saved in legal fees, trust saved in relationships. You don’t control when you’ll exit life, but you control how tidy the exit looks. The best will is the one you actually make. Perfection can wait; clarity can’t.

You’ll never get to see your will in action. That’s the point. It’s a message in a bottle. When you take an afternoon to write it, you’re speaking to a future where you’re absent but still responsible. That’s a powerful act of love—and one of the simplest financial decisions you can make.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction. Consult a qualified expert for personalized advice.