Making A Will

Making a Will is a serious affair. When the Will comes into effect it will determine what happens to your property on your death, and a badly drawn Will can cause a lot of misery to your loved ones. For this reason it is important that your Will is drafted by a specialist and is kept up to date both with your wishes and the latest legal developments.

There are lots of good reasons to complete your Will

1. To ensure that your chosen loved ones inherit your estate;
2. To ensure that trustworthy people are distributing your estate and following your wishes;
3. So that money held in trust for children is held by suitable trustees;
4. To prevent claims against your estate from ex-spouses, or estranged children or other family whom you do not wish to benefit from your estate; and
5. To ensure that for inheritance tax purposes your Will is structured in the most tax friendly manner.

Common excuses not to complete your Will

1. I am far too young to make a Will – this is probably the most common reason, but if you are over 18, you are old enough to make a Will
2. I am sure that there would not be a problem, they can sort it out themselves – unfortunately, in a high value estate, it is rarely dealt with conflict free
3. I have nothing to leave – sadly we do often find we are worth more dead than alive and with life assurance policies and work death in service benefits, it is likely you have more to leave than you think. You may also need to consider other non-monetary arrangements, such as guardians to your children after your death
4. I do not want to tempt fate – there is far greater risk in not having a Will than in having a professionally drafted Will which outlines your intentions and your wishes
5. It is too complicated – not necessarily, only if your instructions are complicated
6. It is too expensive – when you consider it will potentially determine where hundreds of thousands of pounds are going on your death and who will look after your children, it should be money well spent. It actually costs less than some visits to the dentists – and is certainly less painful! The truth is that if you do make a Will, you can avoid problems which may arise after your death, and save your family and friends money.

How Healys Can Help?

At Healys LLP we understand the natural reluctance you may feel towards making a Will. Our sympathetic solicitors are here to make your life easier and offer straightforward advice to help you through the process.

There are a lot of misconceptions regarding wills and the law, the most prominent of which is that on death your estate passes directly to your spouse. This is not necessarily true. Additionally, many people think that if they die without a Will (and are unmarried and without children) then their estate would pass only to a parent with whom they have contact and not to one from whom they are estranged.  Again, this is not true.

We are here to make your life easier and to take the stress out of completing your Will. We want you to leave our offices in the knowledge that your wishes are recorded,  your estate structured efficiently for tax purposes and that you can sleep at night knowing that your affairs are looked after.

If you need a solicitor to make a Will call us today for free advice on 01273 685 888 / 020 7822 4000 or email enquiries@healys.com.