Free Will: November's WillAid Month

Eck

This will making lark is another big money making con as far as i am concerned, solicitors would screw your last penny from you if they could, i don't see why you cannot make up your own will and get a friend or someone to witness and sign it, it really p1sses me off in this country as everywhere we turn we are either taxed to death or forced in some way to pay through the nose for everything.............:mad: :mad:

fishter

pokem02 wrote:

Does the solicitor make the donation? Or do we??

ie can we gift aid it and include it on our tax returns (so reducing the tax liability for higher rate tax payers)?

From thw https://www.willaid.org.uk website:
http://www.willaid.org.uk/faq.cfm#15

The donations can be made in two ways:
1. By you direct to WillAid and they give you a receipt to prove to the solicitor that you have donated.
2. By you to the Solicitor who then passes the money to WillAid.

Both methods can be Gift-Aid'ed.

The FAQ section answers most of the questions that people have raised on this thread. Maybe that's why it's called a FAQ...

glennsh

Bear in mind Martin's email states "Willaid warning! Get a will for free. Book now".
Now, obviously I'm not advocating getting the work done without donating but surely they cant inist on the amount of the donation ??

Princessa_2

wow, this is great as I need to make a will. Do you have to be at least 50 to do it this way though? I'm only 22 but want to get things sorted for my children.

daisykate124

iwanttosave wrote:

Just a shame I dont have anything to leave.

Although I could request that MIL gets all her presents back :think:

Oh thats a good one Wanty! Think i will do the same:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

mycar37

I agree. Either something is Free or it isn't. I suggest purchasing the Book on Wills put out by Which? magazine and DIY. No wonder so many people don't have wills made out when solicitors charge so much. It's not Rocket Science you know.

kingkano

Also, I suggest people do read up about wills. From memory if your estate is less than 150k and your happy for everything to pass to your wife/husband, you dont need a will!! If children are involved etc then you definitely do want a will.

Mecoconuts

kingkano wrote:

Also, I suggest people do read up about wills. From memory if your estate is less than 150k and your happy for everything to pass to your wife/husband, you dont need a will!! If children are involved etc then you definitely do want a will.

Dying without leaving a Will (intestate) - Who gets what?

If you die without leaving a valid Will then the law decides who gets what? Here is a guide to what would happen :

*** If you have a lawful spouse (ie you are legally married) ***
If your estate is worth less than £125,000 then your spouse gets everything.
If your estate is worth more than £125,000 and you had no other surviving relative (eg children, grandchildren, parents), then your spouse will still get everything.

*** If you have a lawful spouse, plus children ***
If your estate is worth less than £125,000 then your spouse gets everything. If your estate is worth more than £125,000 then your spouse would get £125,000 and a life interest (ie the right to take interest on the remainder, but not the capital itself) in half of anything over this sum. Your children would get half the sum over £125,000 immediately and be entitled to the other half on the death of your spouse. Should any of your children die before you then their children would be entitled to take their parent's share.

*** If you have a lawful spouse, no children, but parents/brothers/sisters/ grandparents/aunts/uncles ***
If your estate is worth less than £200,000 then your spouse gets everything. If your estate is worth more than £200,000 then your spouse would get £200,000, plus half the balance. The remaining half goes to the other relatives in this order of priority - parents; brothers/sisters; half brothers/sisters; grandparents; aunts/uncles; spouses of aunts/uncles.

*** If you are not lawfully married, but have had children ***
Your estate will be shared between the children. Should they die before you then their children would take their share.

*** If you are not lawfully married, have no children, but have parents or have had brothers/sisters/grandparents/aunts/uncles ***
Your estate will be shared equally amongst them in this order of priority - parents; brothers/sisters; half brothers/sisters; grandparents; aunts/uncles; spouses of aunts/uncles. If any of these have predeceased, but have living children then the children will take their parent's share.

*** If you are not lawfully married, and have no other relatives ***
Your estate will go the Crown


IMPORTANT : It should be noted that these rules on intestacy do not recognise "common law" partners, and that "children" includes natural ,adopted and illegitimate children, but excludes step-children. The figures are correct as at January 1999, but are subject to change.

Gambit

I contacted my local solicitor in Streatham, South London participating in this as I thought it was a really good idea especially as I'm about to go travelling. After discussing it on the phone with them I asked about the 'suggested' donation of £75 to which I was told this was the price and it had to be paid. The lady on the phone then got angry saying she didnt have time to haggle the price and she had other work to do which was more important. I thought this was discusting customer service as I just wanted to know if it would be possible to pay slightly less, say £50 as I'm trying to save money for travels and dont think its unreasonable to pay less if I am allowed to.

I complained and this is the e-mail I got back:

"Will Aid offers a simple will for a suggested contribution of £75.
However I understand from my colleague that you were not willing to pay even this modest amount depite having by your own admission spent ten minutes on the phone discussing your requirements.

Mrs ***** was trying to find out from the solicitor who would actually be doing the work whether she was prepared to do it for less than £75 while you held on. (To avoid further queries the answer would have been that we were not willing to do so.)

As you do not wish to instruct us and we would not be willing to act for you there seems to be little else to say."

I cannot believe the reponse I got and thought this was out of order... :mad:

Tight_as_a_gnats_chuff

Does your receipt from Willaid show how much you have donated?????