Making a Will

WHERE WE COME IN

Writing a Will is something we can all be guilty of putting off. A Will is such an important document as it not only looks after your family after you die, but it also decides what will happen to your assets when you are gone.

Why make a will?

If you and your partner aren't married or in a civil partnership, your partner won't have a right to inherit if you don't have a will.

Our specialist Will writing solicitors have extensive experience in preparing Wills to cover all circumstances, with single Wills available from £350 +VAT and mirror Wills from £500 +VAT.

Certainty – Making a will shows that you have thought about who should inherit your assets which will go a long way in avoiding disputes after you are gone.
Avoid disputes – Protect your assets for the future generations. We can help you with inheritance tax and estate planning to ensure as far as possible that the assets you have worked hard for are preserved.
Protection – Appointing Executors shows that you have considered carefully who should administer your estate and any ongoing trusts. Furthermore, after your death they have legal right to handle your assets to a large degree. If you do not leave a will your next of kin have no powers at all until they apply to court for the grant of representation.
Families – You may be married a second time and have children from your first marriage. We can help you to provide for your second spouse but ensure your assets move on to your children ultimately.
Guardians – If you have minor children you will want to ensure your children live with people you trust and who will bring up your children in the way you would wish.
Foreign Property – If you own property in a European Union country there has been a significant change to the European Regulations which may affect how your property passes on death.

What happens if I don't write a will?

A lot of people assume that when they die their home, savings and possessions will automatically pass to their next of kin – but sometimes the law is not that simple.

If you die without making a will, your estate will become subject to the rules of intestacy, which means that your assets could be distributed contrary to your wishes. To avoid this happening, you need to prepare a valid Will and we can help you with this.

Why use a solicitor?

You’re protected if something goes wrong. As a Solicitor we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and members of The Law Society. If you have any problems you can make contact with us or the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

You can be more confident there are no mistakes as a regulated Law Firm we only have qualified staff working with you. Common problems with wills, like using the wrong witnesses or forgetting to have it signed, could mean it’s not valid when you die. Using a solicitor should minimise the risk of things like this happening.

We ensure the complicated bits are done for you. The law surrounding inheritances (including Inheritance Tax and trusts) is complicated. Our Solicitors are familiar with the law and will be able to help you make the most effective choices.

Your will is stored safely and registered in our own deeds system and with the national organisation; Certainty, who are approved by the Law Society. When we help you write your will, we store the original for you in a fireproof safe free of charge and register the Will with the National Will Register.

Can I write my own Will?

Yes, but many of the problems encountered with Wills often come from so called "home-made" Wills. The Probate Registry will usually have to approve the Will before your estate can be collected in. Incomplete signatures, not enough witnesses, pages missing, no date, wrong names, ineffective gifts and not revoking an earlier Will are a some of the examples of things which can go wrong if you have not had legal advice for the preparation of your Will.

When do I need to review my will?

If you have had the good foresight to have already made your Will it is important to make sure it is up to date. We recommend you review your will when your personal situation changes e.g.:

• You have more beneficiaries (e.g. step-children, foster children, new born children)
• You get married, enter a civil partnership or get divorced or separated (NB: your will is automatically revoked by marriage or entering into a civil partnership)
• You sell or buy property or other valuable assets
• Your financial circumstances has changed 
• You have entered a new relationship

We can design your Will in such a way to help protect your family from expensive estate litigation after your death and we can safely store your Will in our secure vault.