A Will is a document that sets out your wishes about what is to happen with your belongings, and money, when you die. It is your document – you can include any specification you want, leave whatever you want to whoever you want, and doesn’t need to be too formal to be considered valid.
There are many ways to write a Will – from handwriting it out yourself, to buying a DIY kit, or going to a Will writing service. And of course, by seeking legal advice from a solicitor.
DIY kits and Will writing services can often be primarily based on English Law, often described as UK Law, but the law in Scotland for Wills and administration of estates is very different to English Law, so it is important to check.
Before making your Will, you want to think about what you might want to leave and to whom. You might need to make provision for children, for dependent adults, for your pets even. You might have properties to leave, or family heirlooms, and want to make sure that they get transferred to the next generation properly.
Sometimes, your situation will be simple and straightforward, meaning your Will can be pretty simple – appoint an executor or two, and leave everything to your spouse, or your children. Some complicating factors might be:
· your children are under 16
· you’re separated, but not yet divorced
· you’re on your second, third, or even seventh, marriage
· you’re living with a partner but not married
If any of these apply to you, your Will may not be as straightforward as you think. If you fall into any of those, or think you might have another complicating factor, you will benefit from legal advice before writing your Will.
If you don’t have the benefit of legal advice to write your Will, those you leave behind may end up with an expensive mess to sort out, before your estate can be distributed, or worse, a dispute may arise that is expensive both in terms of money, but also the damage to relationships. This can almost always be avoided by getting good legal advice before writing your Will, and by keeping your Will under review when your circumstances change.
If you would like advice about writing a Will, get in touch today. With prices fixed, and with discounts for couples, the clarity and reassurance for you is worth it.