Why Is It So Important To Have A Will?

In life there would appear to be two types of people. The first are very organised, they know exactly what is what, where their finances are up to and what their plans for the future are. The others are pretty disorganised, often very busy people, who are slightly careless with their money and well, a will can wait until tomorrow cant it? Others undoubtedly fall within these camps, but the reality is that some people do not face up to the fact of their own mortality. They do not leave a will and the result is that after they die things become very difficult for those surviving the deceased person.

There are both practical and emotional reasons why you should make a will. Solicitors always cite the practical reasons: namely that if you are a co-habiting couple then if you die, your partner cannot inherit from you. This is a fact, so all non married couples need to have a will each.

If you do marry to you enter into a civil partnership, then any will that you have is rendered invalid, meaning that if you marry and then get divorced, any previous will is invalid, so your ex may inherit from you.

Even if you are married if you have children then it is important to have a will so that you can decide what happens if you both die. If there is no will and you and your spouse both die, then the courts will decide who has the children. Given that this is such an important issue, shouldnt you have a will, just to ensure that they are safe and well looked after?

You may (possibly) be able to reduce the amount of inheritance tax that is paid after you die. But this can only be done with expert advice from a solicitor.

However, there are also emotional reasons to have a will. After someone dies, emotions are often raw and those who are grieving may not be at their most rational or indeed their most understanding. Fights can break out within even the closest families if there is no will and people harbour grievances over who took what, long after the estate has been settled. A will simply sorts out what you wanted and gives people what you felt they deserved.

So if you want to be one of the estimated 27 million people in the country who does not have a will, then fine, but at least be aware fo the implications. But if you do decide that it is only right to have a will, then consult a solicitor today, dont procrastinate, since no one knows exactly what the future holds.

Although it is possible to write a will by yourself, it is advisable to use a solicitor as there are various legal formalities you need to follow to make sure that your will is valid. You may also need legal advice for more complicated matters. A solicitor can also advise you about how Inheritance Tax affects you.

A solicitor may be able to visit you in your own home, care home or hospital.

The cost of writing up a will can vary between solicitors and will depend on how complicated your affairs may be and the experience of the solicitor.

As well as solicitors, voluntary organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureau and Age Concern can also help with your will.