Appointing an Executor
With a will, you can also appoint an executor, the person which you trust to have the authority to carry out your wishes and to assure that your affairs are in order, including payment of bills, etc.
Probate
If you do not have a will, in many cases a court makes these decisions instead of you, through a long, and often difficult, process called probate. If you die unexpectedly without a will, you will inadvertently subject your family and loved ones to confusion and anxiety at a difficult time.