Writing a will

Snoozle

As part of my new, mature, improved relationship to all things financial, my self and OH need to write a will.

Can anybody give me any idea of how much a solicitor might charge for this? Can any solicitor do it, or do some specialise in this sort of thing? We have no significant assets, it won't be complicated, we are just 'ordinary' working people, our main asset is the equity in our house (we bought years ago, so are fortunate to still have some!) but I'm led to believe that a will is still important for the likes of us. Where do we start?

Thanks in advance for your help.....

butterflymum

Start by checking that you don't already have one (sounds daft, but some people do forget). Many solicitors encourage people to have one drawn up at same time they purchase first house (assuming you used a solicitor at time).

If nothing found, you can read here for some useful NI based info on what to do:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/oyb/legal_financial/making_a_will.shtml

judy2357

Snoozle wrote: »

As part of my new, mature, improved relationship to all things financial, my self and OH need to write a will.

Can anybody give me any idea of how much a solicitor might charge for this? Can any solicitor do it, or do some specialise in this sort of thing? We have no significant assets, it won't be complicated, we are just 'ordinary' working people, our main asset is the equity in our house (we bought years ago, so are fortunate to still have some!) but I'm led to believe that a will is still important for the likes of us. Where do we start?

Thanks in advance for your help.....

Depending how old you are this may be of use to you:-

http://legacies.cancerresearchuk.org/for-legal-professionals/FreeWillservice/

Its been I while since I have been involved with this sort of work now but it is usually cheaper to have mirror Wills (similar to each other). Price depends on how complicated the Wills are possibly around £150 plus VAT but I may be out of date now. You should ring a solicitor and get a quote.

wifeforlife

Myself and my other half made our wills this time last year, our solicitor was doing the conveyancing on our house so it only cost us £50 each.

HTH
Cate

cautious_bob

So happens November is Will Aid month -participating solicitors will make your will and donate the fee they charge to charity.
My fairly simple new will = £75 for charity
If yr interested, for list of participating sols. just type will aid into a search engine.
BoB
Nb- you refer to your' OH'- depending on the status of you relationship, a will might prove to be very important....

gawa75

I've just had a will drawn up this week through Will Aid. First will I've ever done and cost £75 to charity - can't be bad. :beer:

Old_Git

two relatives off mine had wills made last year .Both quoted £50 but Neither solicitor charged .
I think the solicitors work on the theory they will get the money (and more ) when they die.

Snoozle

Old_Git wrote: »

two relatives off mine had wills made last year .Both quoted £50 but Neither solicitor charged .
I think the solicitors work on the theory they will get the money (and more ) when they die.

:rotfl:We're only in our early 30s, so we're really hoping that it won't be for a while yet....although stranger things have happened, so we have to face reality and be prepared.

Thanks everyone for all your replies.

I have one more question that I should have asked at the start. Does a will cover purely financial things? For example, in the unlikely event of both of us dying, we have a verbal agreement that my sister will raise our children (and that we would raise hers, should anything happen to her and her husband, but that is obviously a separate issue). Can we draft up a legal agreement to this effect so that if they were orphaned there would be no chance that our children would end up in the care system, but would definitely go to live with my sister. I know this is all very depressing, and all very unlikely to happen, but its not unknown and it is something that we have discussed. Would such an agreement be recognised and adhered to?

wifeforlife

My will states that my children are not to be seperated in the case both my partner and I die and my parents will be sole guardians, however if I was to die it's my eldest child's choice where she goes as my partner is not her biological father, if she want's to remain with my partner and my son or if she want's to go to my parents. It's specifically divides any money dependant on what the situation may be.

My solicitor was a great help dealing with the emotional side in addition to the financial, we have been very specific in how any money is divided also, the one thing my solicitor said to me and I think it's worth noting. A will is a bit like insurance, you hope it'll never be needed however you want it to fulfill how you expect your family and estate to be dealt with.

Don't be afraid of offending people, they'll never know what it says, and it'll hopefully never be needed

Cate

Old_Git

Snoozle wrote: »

:rotfl:We're only in our early 30s, so we're really hoping that it won't be for a while yet....although stranger things have happened, so we have to face reality and be prepared.

Thanks everyone for all your replies.

in the unlikely event of both of us dying, we have a verbal agreement that my sister will raise our children (and that we would raise hers, should anything happen to her and her husband, but that is obviously a separate issue). Can we draft up a legal agreement to this effect so that if they were orphaned there would be no chance that our children would end up in the care system, but would definitely go to live with my sister. I know this is all very depressing, and all very unlikely to happen, but its not unknown and it is something that we have discussed. Would such an agreement be recognised and adhered to?

you can make your wishes known as regards your children but it will have no real bearing .Social security will still have to be satisfied they they are not going to be safe and not put to work down the mines of sold on ebay :rotfl:

Wee_Bargain_Hunter

Old_Git wrote: »

two relatives off mine had wills made last year .Both quoted £50 but Neither solicitor charged .
I think the solicitors work on the theory they will get the money (and more ) when they die.

This doesn't have to be the case, you can appoint your own executors to sort out probate. Anyone can do all the probate work, it does not have to be a bank or solicitor charging a huge hourly rate to do fairly tedious admin work. Also it's useful to know that you can leave something to your executors (if you want) but cannot leave anything to anyone who acts as a witness to your signature.