When Jason Demillo's cousin unexpectedly died young his family wasn't only plunged into sudden grief but also a legal battle over his estate that shocked them.
It could have been avoided if there had been a will.
"It's the worst," Mr Demillo says.
"People are getting over losing someone they love and they don't need to be fighting over what stuff's left."
The dispute was painful to watch and stressful for everyone involved, the Melburnian tells AAP.
"I believe it was settled in court. I think a lot of assets had to be liquidated.
"At the end of the day with that sort of thing, really only the lawyers win."
At the time, Mr Demillo was 40 and had never written a will.
He's not alone, with one in three Australians revealing they wouldn't know where to start and one in five assuming it's too complex or expensive.
That's according to a just-completed survey of 2027 people by Censuswide for online will platform Safewill.
Some 46 per cent of respondents said they'd prefer to go to the dentist or do their tax than write a will but experts urge everyone to create one regardless of their assets or age.
"You don't need to be old or rich," according to Safewill Legal Senior Associate Matthew Wyndham.
"There's two benefits to it: it's dividing your estate the way you want it to be divided but it also, and this is a big one, it makes life easier for your loved ones left behind."
He's seen too many messy disputes involving "thorny" issues like secret partners or children, unexpected dependants, former stepchildren or estranged family members making claims under various state laws.
Even if carving up assets appears to be straight forward, Mr Wyndham warns it's far more complicated and expensive to receive money if someone dies without a will.
Lawyers, solicitors and public trustees can prepare wills in person or online, setting out wishes for everything from instructions on the funeral to bank accounts, debts, possessions, care arrangements for dependants and pets.
"An online will is a valid will, as long as it has been printed and signed in accordance with the instructions," Mr Wyndham says.
Victorian State Trustees chief executive Melissa Reynolds has seen families fall out over tea sets and photo albums.
"One of the worst ones I've seen has been where we had one sibling who wanted the television and the other one, out spite, took the remote," she recalls.
Ms Reynolds estimates about half of adults don't have a will but agrees it's far higher for people aged in their 40s and under. She cautions that events like forming a long-term relationship, buying a house or car or having children should be an automatic trigger.
"Young people might say, 'well, it doesn't really matter because I haven't got much'.
"But actually, if they died without a will the law would say your assets now go back to your parents and if that's not the case, then to your siblings.
"There's an order and many people might not agree."
While legally valid wills are regularly challenged, Ms Reynolds says it's usually when the challenger suspects the person didn't have capacity to make a big decision or another party has undue influence.
"Having somebody who's an expert in writing wills (create it) is the safest way to ensure the will is valid and that you're very, very clear about what it is that you want," she says.
"It really reduces that conflict being able to take place."
Her organisation also offers people the choice of creating their will online for individuals but not couples or those with "complex" situations.
"It's really important, when it's a partnership or a couple that we talk to them together because it's usually then a conversation about what happens if one passes and the other is still there. Where do the assets go? What if there are children involved?"
Put off by the idea of walking into a lawyer's office to talk about his own mortality, Mr Demillo created his will thorough Safewill and has already amended it since.
He urges anyone without the document to get on to it as soon as possible, comforted in the knowledge their wishes will be fulfilled and loved ones not subjected to a legal fight in the event of a tragedy.
"Have a think about how your passing would affect the people you care about and what you would want for them after you're gone," he says.
"The reality is that death ain't waiting for anyone; it doesn't discriminate and you just never know."
From now until September 15, Safewill is offering the opportunity to create a will for free as part of Free Wills Fortnight.
