Why should you make a Will?

Being a Wills specialist, it never fails to surprise me how many people do not have Wills.  The most common response I get is that people know they should, but they just haven’t got round to it!

The most obvious answer about why you should make a Will is to make sure that when you die your wishes are carried out.  Quite simply making a Will is the only way to guarantee that.

For anyone who has children, in my opinion making a Will is essential.  Whilst you hope not to need it for many years, a Will can appoint legal guardians so that parents choose who can look after their children if they die before the children reach 18.  If children do inherit from your Estate without a Will, the money could be used for your children whilst they are minors.  However, they would inherit our money and property outright at age 18.  A Will allows you to specify what age you would want your children to reach before they are entitled to inherit.

If you don’t make a Will, the law sets out who benefits from your estate.  The rules depend on what relatives you leave behind.  A surviving spouse or civil partner is not entitled to your whole estate automatically, it depends upon how much your assets are worth.  A cohabitee is entitled to nothing under these rules.

Further, having a Will allows you to appoint who you want to deal with your affairs when you have died – your Executors.  Without a Will, no one has the automatic legal right to deal with your Estate and they would need authority from the Court to do so formally.

Having a Will therefore gives certainty.

Don’t put it off any longer, make your Will and make what would be an incredibly difficult time for your loved ones as easy as possible by getting your legal affairs in order.

For more information please contact Deborah Beal on 01562 512448 or E-mail dbeal@thursfields.co.uk