Making a Will
Making a Will is simple and an important way to protect the future of your loved ones. It's the only way to be absolutely certain that your money and your belongings go to the people and causes you care about. Many people wrongly believe that their house and other possessions will automatically go to their spouse. If your estate, including your home, is worth more than £250,000 this may not be the case, and if you are not married your partner may get nothing.
Click here to find out what would happen to your estate if you do not have a valid Will.
Even if you have a Will, you need to remember that when your circumstances change, it may become out of date. For instance, if you marry or re-marry, your old Will is automatically invalidated. Make sure that your Will is up to date.
What to do next - 5 simple steps to peace of mind
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STEP 1: Choose a solicitor Chose a solicitor from the list of Local Participating Solicitors and give them a ring or email them to make an appointment - it's best do this as soon as some solicitors can be very busy and may have to limit the number of Will Aid appointments made. |
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STEP 2: Plan your Will Spend a few minutes thinking about your assets and how you would like to leave them. Our Will Planner will help you to organise your thoughts and the Jargon Buster explains some legal terms you might need to know. Complete the Will Planner and keep it in a safe place until your appointment. Having this information written down will save a lot of time when talking to your solicitor and will ensure nothing is forgotten. |
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STEP 3: Meet your solicitor Take the completed Will Planner with you to your appointment. Your solicitor will discuss your instructions and advise how best to word your Will. If you do not have an executor, your solicitor can arrange this for you. If your estate is large, your solicitor will also advise whether you need to make additional arrangements for tax planning. |
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STEP 4: Approve your Will Once drafted, your solicitor will send you the Will to approve. Any changes can be made at this point. Once you are happy with the document, your solicitor will ask you to sign it in the presence of two witnesses. |
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STEP 5: Keep it safe When your solicitor has completed your Will, he / she will invite you to make a donation to Will Aid. The suggested minimum donation is £75 for a single Will, £110 for a pair of Wills and £40 if you are making a codicil to an existing Will. You can donate safely online or give a cheque made out to Will Aid to your solicitor who will forward it to us. You can either keep your Will at home or some firms may offer to hold it in their strong room. Don't forget to let your family know where it is and make sure it is safe. With Will Aid you can register your Will for FREE with the Certainty National Wills Register (usual cost £28.75 per Will) during November's campaign. For more information and to register a Will, visit http://www.certainty.co.uk/willaid/default.asp |
