What is a Will?

A Will is a legal document which allows you to set out:

• what you would like to happen to your money, property and possessions (known as your estate) when you die
• who you would wish to be responsible for dealing with your estate
• any funeral wishes you may have; and
• who you would like to leave your estate to.

Additionally, if you have young children, you can nominate a guardian in your Will to look after them.  A Will can also help to ensure that you do not pay more inheritance tax than you need to.

What happens if I do not have a Will?

Without a Will, your estate would be left according to legal rules that might not reflect your wishes and your family may not have any control over how your estate is dealt with.

People often think that the need to make a Will is only for the elderly or those who are unwell but Wills are important at all stages of life particularly if you:

• have young children, step-children or children from a previous relationship
• are unmarried
• own property, or you wish to leave money to someone who is not a direct blood relative.

We can help

As experienced solicitors, we can help you by making sure that your Will is legally binding and truly reflects your wishes which could save your family additional stress in future.  We pride ourselves in giving an individual service to each of our clients as we recognise that all family situations are different.

If you already have a Will it is important to review it regularly and ensure it is kept up to date.  Your situation may have changed since your existing Will was written which may affect how your wishes are carried out.  Examples of this are:

• getting married
• having children
• getting divorced
• losing a loved one
• changes in inheritance tax rules.

We would be delighted to assist you to review your Will, please contact us to find out more.