The benefits of creating a valid Will cannot be understated. If you die without leaving a valid Will you may unwittingly cause problems which can be very difficult to sort out. In this situation, the law provides strict rules which spell out how your property and assets are to be shared. The effect may not be at all what you would have wanted.
Making a Will enables you to decide who will benefit from your lifes work when you die rather than your property being distributed according to the law. It enables you to take control and to name those people you would like to benefit from your estate whether they are family members, friends and/or charitable organisations.
Wills are important documents enabling you to provide financial security for your loved ones in the event of your death. They can enable you to give specific gifts such as jewellery to a specific member of the family or an opportunity to give a small financial gift to a helpful neighbour. The Will provides certainty and enables you to benefit others in the way you want.
Here at Legal and Mutual Will Writers we will ensure that we prepare you a Will that is tailor made for you and your situation.
You can:
- Choose who shall (and shall not) benefit from your Estate
- Appoint a Guardian for children under the age of 18
- Ensure that your partner will be provided for
- Protect the interests of your children from a previous relationship
- Put restrictions and limitations on any gifts that you make
- Protect your family’s wealth through effective Inheritance Tax Planning
- Protect your property and your children’s inheritance against the potential risk of sale to cover care home costs
- Make charitable gifts
- Specify your funeral wishes
Peter Williams at Legal And Mutual Will Writers has substantial experience and expertise in drafting Wills for clients. We will meet with you at your home or at any other location at a time that is best for you.
What about the cost? We provide a fix fee price at our initial meeting starting at £100.00 for a straight forward simple Will thereafter increasing in price with complexity and length of the Will required. If your Will requires the inclusion of complex trusts or other additional work our fee will be agreed with you in advance. All fees are discussed with you and agreed.
Why do I need a Will?
The proportion of UK adults that are currently without a Will is well over half the population, this amounts to more than 31 million people. Make sure that you are not in this category, and here 10 reasons why having a Will is worthwhile:
1. It enables you to choose to whom you want to leave assets to:
You are the one who has worked hard to build up assets, therefore you should be the one to decide who you leave it to.
2. It can avoid discrepancies between beneficiaries:
If your wishes are documented effectively in your Will, then it reduces the possibility of disputes once you have gone. You can use a will to ensure your assets are protected and secure.
3. It can avoid family members contesting your wishes of what happens to your assets:
As you are in charge when writing your Will, you have the final say.
4. It can avoid your children going into foster care:
You are able to name a legal guardian to provide care for any children under the age of 18.
5. It can avoid your assets going to the Crown:
If there are no family members available to claim your assets then they will be given to the crown, as per over 9,000 cases in the UK.
6. It can offer peace of mind that your loved ones are cared for:
A Will can be written to ensure your future generations are cared for with the assets you are leaving behind.
7. It can protect your partner, if you are unmarried:
If you are not married, then your partner is not entitled to any of your assets.
8. It can avoid paying more inheritance tax than you need to:
When written properly, your Will may reduce the amount of inheritance tax that is due, which in turn means you are leaving maximum inheritance to your loved ones.
9. It can enable you to protect your pets:
Your pets are classed as ‘property’ which you can leave to a named beneficiary, who in turn would become their guardian.
10. It is flexible and can be updated throughout your lifetime, it is not set in stone:
You are able to write a Will to encompass some future life changes, to avoid having to re write your Will down the line.