Making a Will - What is the most affordable/best way?

WelshBurty

Thanks for the advice everyone. Didn't realise there was an MSE 'Free and cheap wills' article so thanks very much for the link.

My situation is not completely straight forward so will do a bit more investigating through the MSE article before deciding which way to go.


For the record I don't have a cat, therefore I leave it all to the fish.

relaxtwotribes

begbeer wrote: »

As cats do not live as long as humans you had better make sure that you still haev a cat when the time comes!!

I think you mean that cats don't have a life expectancy as long as humans do.

If your situation is not completely straight forward, then you are suggesting that professional help is needed. Do a bit of research into how much stress and anxiety is caused through poorly drafted wills and then consider the expense you might go into as being a gift to those you leave behind.

DebsDD

Hi

Following Martin's article we went to a solicitor last November (Will Aid month) and he was great. My will was very straight forward, my partner's wasn't hence the need for a solicitor. It has cost us £140 in total. Well worth the money as he thought of things we hadn't. If I left everything to my partner but we died in the same car accident who would get any money etc? If my partner left everything to his kids and died a few minutes after me his kids would get everything from me too!

I would definitely recommend you use a solicitor.

JSMill

Years ago I was living abroad and during a visit to the UK responded to an ad by Barclays Bank for them to help do my will free of charge. The advice that they gave was quite good.....for example, I had wanted to leave money to my sister in the event that she be unmarried at the time of my death. They checked and said that this was not legal in the UK since it might discourage marriage (such discouragement being socially undesirable). The catch was that I had to appoint them as executors, at a very high cost.
Here is my advice:
1) go to a solicitor....it may cost £300+ or whatever, but you know the job has been done by a professional who is professionally liable....it's far too important to say what are relatively pennies by doing something on the cheap. You risk leaving an invalid will & think what a horrible legacy that would be!
2) appoint a son/daughter or trusted YOUNGER person as executor (set it up as wide as possible in case one of them may not be able/willing/around when needed)....that way they are in the driving seat. They can still, when you die, & if they wish, appoint a solicitor or whoever to help out. Do NOT appoint a bank or solicitor directly as executor....that is what my dad did and it cost a lot of money for very little indeed, for a ridiculously simple estate. I changed my mother's will & acted as executor for her when she died. A slightly tedious business, but why should we give any more hard-earned money to lawyers than is absolutely necessary? I think I did a good job for the beneficiaries (two sisters and myself). Remember also that an executor can ALSO be a trustee, hence sons/daughters can be both.