Just because Abraham Lincoln, Pablo Picasso and John Denver died without a will doesn’t mean you should.

The Bainbridge Island Senior Center and the Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network will host a free estate planning workshop in the Great Room at BARN April 23 at 4 p.m. The 90-minute program will discuss the essential documentation associated with late-in-life planning, including living trusts, wills, beneficiary designations and gift tax planning.

Organizers hope attendees will learn how to protect and distribute their assets as they age, according to their wishes.

“We’re excited to help share this important information. There are so many reasons to start thinking about legacy giving and estate planning long before you think you’ll need to,” BARN development manager Jess Henderson said. “Creating a plan helps make sure your wishes are honored, that the people and causes you hold dear are well cared for, and can minimize taxes and expenses. But ultimately, it’s about peace of mind.”

It’s not just about finances. Assets can include real estate, vehicles, business interests, personal property such as artwork, jewelry, furnishings and more — along with guardianship of pets and children.

Only about 45% of Americans over the age of 55 have a legally binding will, AARP research says. That statistic jumps to 81% by the age of 72, but many are not valid or up to date — which can create familial conflict when distributing a loved one’s assets. A little over half of adults in the U.S. don’t know where their parent’s estate planning documents are stored at the time of their deaths.

There’s a number of reasons people procrastinate drawing up an estate plan, but many are deterred due to a perceived lack of assets — particularly those with an income below $80,000 per year. Experts emphasize that there is no estate too small for a plan.

“Without an estate plan, every state has a plan for you, but rarely is it a plan you want to implement,” estate planning attorney Jay Knighton says in a published report.