Using online will-making service

JennyP

Does anyone have any experience of using an online will-making service?
I have just used one to help my parents make their wills.
We did have a solicitor on the case - he initially promised to do it within two weeks (my mother is anxious to sort it all out asap) but six weeks later there is no sign of it and he says he is "too busy".
In order to get at least something done, I paid over £160 to an online service to draft mirror wills with discretionary trusts which is what my parents want. However, the results are not promising. There is no mention of the individual assets and the documents look disappointing.
Does anyone know if these documents will really be legal? I fear I have wasted money on them!
Any ideas on finding a solicitor who will do things quickly and efficiently and make a good job of it?
Thanks.
Jen P

Frugal_Sharky

I found the solicitor to do my will through the Will Aid campaign that was running in Nov 2004. The next one is due to run in Nov 2006, but it sounds like you can't wait that long. Considering the solicitor wasn't making any money out of the work he did for us (mirror wills for my wife and I) he was extremely helpful and very efficient. What it does mean though is that I will definitely use the same firm again for all my future legal requirements - so in the long run it is worth them giving this "free" time in return for another customer on their books. If you can't wait this long, then pick 3 solicitors from you local yellow pages and get each of them to give you a fixed price quote for the work you require and stipulate a deadline for the work to be completed. Mirrow wills are bread and butter stuff for solicitors, so its easy money for them. If you don't feel comfortable with their attitude during the quotation process, simply walk away - there are plenty more where they came from!

elliebean_2

I would always advise against using online will writing services. In order to capture the whole picture of somebody's personal circumstances and their estate it is vital to have a face-to-face meeting. There are too many things which could be missed.

An alternative to a solicitor is to use a member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters

Without seeing the documents or their contents it's impossible to say whether they'd be legally binding or indeed do what your parents wish them to do, but it's a risk I don't think I'd want to take.

Browntoa

elliebean wrote:

I would always advise against using online will writing services. In order to capture the whole picture of somebody's personal circumstances and their estate it is vital to have a face-to-face meeting. There are too many things which could be missed.

An alternative to a solicitor is to use a member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters

Without seeing the documents or their contents it's impossible to say whether they'd be legally binding or indeed do what your parents wish them to do, but it's a risk I don't think I'd want to take.

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elliebean_2

Oooops, sorry about that. I missed the www. out. Have edited my last post, but it should be Institute of Professional Willwriters

Browntoa

my understanding of these online Will makers is that they are OK for basic wills but if there are complications like Inheritance tax issues, trusts etc that you really are better off biting the bullet and paying a solicitor to draw it up

cheerfulcat

JennyP wrote:

Any ideas on finding a solicitor who will do things quickly and efficiently and make a good job of it?
Thanks.
Jen P

Try the Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners

maryotuam

http://www.thinkwill.co.uk/
There is a free online will template on here.
I would only suggest using it for the simplest wills. I used it to leave everything to my husband.
He used it to have his estate divided equally between his 4 kids if I don't survive him.. We don't own enough to pay inheritance tax.

Savvy_Sue

I believe Barnardos are offering a free will-writing service via selected socilitors if you're over 55 - hoping you'll leave something to them in the will! But it may be limited to simple wills. Having said that I can't see it on their website, it was in our local paper so again it may have been time-limited.

moonrakerz

The only problem in using on-line templates for Wills is that you don't know if the wording is correct; and you won't ever know, if it's your Will, your kids will be left to sort out the mess. A Will is a legal document, and like it or not, the people who decide if a Will is correct are lawyers. You might as well go and see one in the fist place and get it right.

angelatgraceland

Exactly my feelings. I intend to make a will in the near future and it will definitely be through a solicitor face to face. It is so easy to misinterpret something which isnt written in the correct legal termination. Just not worth taking the chance.