Writing a will

bloodiedathame

bloodiedathame

bloodiedathame

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I'm in the process of doing this, first hurdle seems to be which method.

Solicitor, DIY kit, template from the web or something like WillAid.

There's a lot of conflicting information on the net (as always) but I'm hoping that this thread will make things a bit clearer... :D

Apart from this first hurdle, anything else I should know?
 
If it's a simple will, I'm pretty sure a diy will is fine. My wife had one done by a solicitor and got done for £150...
 
Solicitor - but get a rough quote first. Most don't charge that much as it is a good way of introducing themselves to potential clients. A solicitor will ask the sensible questions and also cover the non-obvious eventualities that can come up.

Only other advice is keep it as simple as possible. Don't go listing every thing you have of value and who it is to go to. Huge waste of time.
 
I wouldn't take the risk of doing it myself, personally.

If you've got a relatively simple will (i.e. not complicated by divorces, a wide variety of relatives etc) then you should be able to get it done fairly economically whenever WillAid crops up.
 
bloodiedathame said:
I'm in the process of doing this, first hurdle seems to be which method.

Solicitor, DIY kit, template from the web or something like WillAid.

There's a lot of conflicting information on the net (as always) but I'm hoping that this thread will make things a bit clearer... :D

Apart from this first hurdle, anything else I should know?
Click to expand...


http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Donate/Legacies/Willwriting.aspx

Some options there which I think Macmillan get a donation from if you use the link on their site.
 
get a solicitor quote should be an hour or two work unless particularly complicated. I'd expect it to cost <£300 but could be much less. Better to pay a bit to have peac of mind.
 
Having just been through a lengthy probabte case here's my tips:

-When distributing any money you may have, specify what each beneficiary will get in percentages ( A gets 30%, B gets 20 etc etc).
- If getting a solicitor to write the Will, be very clear how you want things distributing before meeting them. They will note your actions in their contemporaneous notes. Any dithering on your part could cause serious issues after you are dead.
- Film yourself reading the Will and state that you are of sound mind and that these are your wishes. If someone is being disinherited, explain succinctly why you are doing so.
- Have at least two independant folk witness and sign your Will. Ensure that these folk are not an executor or beneficiary.

Sounds over the top, but seriously... do it. Wills aren't worth the paper they are written on.
 
My sister works for a will writer. The horror stories she tells of people arguing over wording and grammar sounds like a minefield of problems. A high street solicitor is probably not enough now for a belt and braces will.
 
A lot depends on how complex your estate is. If very simple, a DIY kit or one of the solicitor-based charity-assisted routes should be okay. If it's more complex, and especially if it involves trusts and so on, get expert help, because a small mistake can have big implications on who gets what, and the tax status.

Two essential principles are that if you have a non-trivial estate, do get a will done. Don't leave it for tomorrow. And secondly, it needs to be clear, and completely unambiguous.

Use a will-writer, or solicitor familiar with wills, too. My parents used an incompetent idiot that caused real problems at probate.
 
Solicitor for the will, in the will have it refer to a "list of wishes". Write said list of wishes yourself, and that covers things like "I want this piece of jewelry to go to x". Means you can easily update your specifics yourself without having to go back to the solicitor every time you want to change something.
 
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