Why Make A Will ?
The Society of Will Writers advise the following:
MAKING A WILL is the only way to ensure that your wishes are carried out after your death. If you have not made a valid Will, your property will pass according to the Law of Intestacy. This may not be what you would have wished. In any event it is likely to take longer to finalise than if you had made a Will. During this time your beneficiaries may not be able to draw any money from your estate. It can mean arguments and distress for relatives. Making a Will lets your loved ones know that you cared enough to 'sort things out' in advance.
IF YOU are a single person you will want your estate divided amongst friends, relatives and charities of your choosing and in the proportions you want.
IF YOU are married, don't assume 'my other half will get everything'. Brothers and sisters or parents may have a claim. Often your children have a right to part of your estate. If you are living as a couple but not officially married, you may be treated as a single person and a surviving partner may get nothing at all. One thing you can be certain of - there will be argument and dispute at a time when the family should be coping with the loss of a loved one.
IF YOU are a parent, you should consider who would look after your children in the event of your death. This is particularly important in the case of one-parent families or unmarried parents living together. A valid Will nominating guardians is invaluable in such cases. If no one knows what you would have wanted, the Court will decide on the future of your children, and it may not be what you would have wished.
IF YOU are retired maybe you made a Will a long time ago. It probably needs updating to include additional grandchildren or deletion of persons you no longer feel you wish to leave anything to.
A Will brings security, reassurance and above all peace of mind - not just for you, but for all those who depend on you, either now or in the future.
Why you should use a Will Writer who is a member of The Society of Will Writers:
The Society of Will Writers is a non-profit making body that exists solely to:
¨ Raise the public's awareness of the importance of making a Will
¨ To act as a regulatory organisation to ensure its members are properly trained and fully competent.
As soon as you have decided to make a Will - and the sooner the better! - you may prefer to discuss your personal affairs in the comfort and privacy of your own home. There are many Will Writing services advertised, but it is vital to choose one that is competent, professional and has the appropriate expertise and experience. All Society of Will Writers members go through a stringent vetting procedure and continuing training to ensure that they are suitable persons to properly write your Will.
Anyone can call themselves a Will Writer - you can even 'do it yourself' with a form from a well-known stationer. But only a properly trained professional can ensure that your Will is correctly drafted. Home made or badly made Wills can be just as bad (or even worse!) than no Will at all.
Legacy Will Writers are a member of the Society. This can be evidenced through the designatory letters (MSWW) and the Society logo used on our stationery. To confirm our membership with the Society please feel free to contact them on 0800 838270.
Having your Will written isn't the daunting prospect you might imagine.
Indeed, it gives most people a feeling of great relief.
Wills Through The Ages.
Over the centuries Wills have been the cause of family feud, fraud and any number of crimes from forgery to murder. They have also made lawyers very rich sorting out the mess. That is why today our laws are very rigid and complex in relation to Wills.
Incidentally, laws vary from country to country, so if you have property in more than one country, it is wise to make sure you have a Will in each country to deal with the property in accordance with local law.
Many years ago, Wills were simply deathbed statements made in confidence to the priest. It is worth noting that the church seemed to inherit a strangely large proportion of estates in those days! Eventually two witnesses were required to hear the deathbed statement, and the church got poorer. Verbal 'Wills', even when witnessed, were still open to abuse or argument, so it became compulsory for the Will to be written down and witnessed by two people. Nowadays the witnesses must not be people who inherit anything under the Will.
Even now, with all the laws and safeguards, Wills are still successfully contested in the Courts. This can come about if a Will, maybe written many years ago, does not take into account things that have happened since which 'might' have caused the Will to be written differently. The argument is that if the deceased could be brought back to life, he or she would have changed the Will to take the events into account. Sometimes this argument works, sometimes not, but it makes the point that it is important to review your Will from time to time. The argument that a Will represents the true wishes of the deceased is far stronger if the Will was made or reviewed a few years prior to death than if it was made many years ago when the family membership may have been very different.
However Do Not Worry - If You Do Not Have a Written Will, The State Has One For You -
It Will Not Be The One You Want
& It Is Certain Not to Reflect Your Wishes!
Why Make A Will ?
The Society of Will Writers advise the following:
MAKING A WILL is the only way to ensure that your wishes are carried out after your death. If you have not made a valid Will, your property will pass according to the Law of Intestacy. This may not be what you would have wished. In any event it is likely to take longer to finalise than if you had made a Will. During this time your beneficiaries may not be able to draw any money from your estate. It can mean arguments and distress for relatives. Making a Will lets your loved ones know that you cared enough to 'sort things out' in advance.
IF YOU are a single person you will want your estate divided amongst friends, relatives and charities of your choosing and in the proportions you want.
IF YOU are married, don't assume 'my other half will get everything'. Brothers and sisters or parents may have a claim. Often your children have a right to part of your estate. If you are living as a couple but not officially married, you may be treated as a single person and a surviving partner may get nothing at all. One thing you can be certain of - there will be argument and dispute at a time when the family should be coping with the loss of a loved one.
IF YOU are a parent, you should consider who would look after your children in the event of your death. This is particularly important in the case of one-parent families or unmarried parents living together. A valid Will nominating guardians is invaluable in such cases. If no one knows what you would have wanted, the Court will decide on the future of your children, and it may not be what you would have wished.
IF YOU are retired maybe you made a Will a long time ago. It probably needs updating to include additional grandchildren or deletion of persons you no longer feel you wish to leave anything to.
A Will brings security, reassurance and above all peace of mind - not just for you, but for all those who depend on you, either now or in the future.
Why you should use a Will Writer who is a member of The Society of Will Writers:
The Society of Will Writers is a non-profit making body that exists solely to:
¨ Raise the public's awareness of the importance of making a Will
¨ To act as a regulatory organisation to ensure its members are properly trained and fully competent.
As soon as you have decided to make a Will - and the sooner the better! - you may prefer to discuss your personal affairs in the comfort and privacy of your own home. There are many Will Writing services advertised, but it is vital to choose one that is competent, professional and has the appropriate expertise and experience. All Society of Will Writers members go through a stringent vetting procedure and continuing training to ensure that they are suitable persons to properly write your Will.
Anyone can call themselves a Will Writer - you can even 'do it yourself' with a form from a well-known stationer. But only a properly trained professional can ensure that your Will is correctly drafted. Home made or badly made Wills can be just as bad (or even worse!) than no Will at all.
Legacy Will Writers are a member of the Society. This can be evidenced through the designatory letters (MSWW) and the Society logo used on our stationery. To confirm our membership with the Society please feel free to contact them on 0800 838270.
Having your Will written isn't the daunting prospect you might imagine.
Indeed, it gives most people a feeling of great relief.
Wills Through The Ages.
Over the centuries Wills have been the cause of family feud, fraud and any number of crimes from forgery to murder. They have also made lawyers very rich sorting out the mess. That is why today our laws are very rigid and complex in relation to Wills.
Incidentally, laws vary from country to country, so if you have property in more than one country, it is wise to make sure you have a Will in each country to deal with the property in accordance with local law.
Many years ago, Wills were simply deathbed statements made in confidence to the priest. It is worth noting that the church seemed to inherit a strangely large proportion of estates in those days! Eventually two witnesses were required to hear the deathbed statement, and the church got poorer. Verbal 'Wills', even when witnessed, were still open to abuse or argument, so it became compulsory for the Will to be written down and witnessed by two people. Nowadays the witnesses must not be people who inherit anything under the Will.
Even now, with all the laws and safeguards, Wills are still successfully contested in the Courts. This can come about if a Will, maybe written many years ago, does not take into account things that have happened since which 'might' have caused the Will to be written differently. The argument is that if the deceased could be brought back to life, he or she would have changed the Will to take the events into account. Sometimes this argument works, sometimes not, but it makes the point that it is important to review your Will from time to time. The argument that a Will represents the true wishes of the deceased is far stronger if the Will was made or reviewed a few years prior to death than if it was made many years ago when the family membership may have been very different.
However Do Not Worry - If You Do Not Have a Written Will, The State Has One For You -
It Will Not Be The One You Want
& It Is Certain Not to Reflect Your Wishes!