How could my mother make a will for cheap?

nearlyhomeless

Basically in my family i am the only good egg, one of my brothers has robbed my mother and run off, while the other one is in prison for drug dealing, im currently a student at uni and i help her alot more with her bills then i should do. Now my mother is getting old and has a ton of health problems and i feel she might not have too long left. She said she wants to leave everything she has left to me and not to my brothers because of how they have treated her over the years. She has a relatively small estate, she owns a plot of land worth about 20 grand, a car worth a grand, about 2/300 in the bank and a foreign bank account with about 5 thousand pounds in it. She barely speaks english and she had found a lawyer who agreed to make up the will but he demands 400 to make the will and another 200 pounds per year to keep hold of it.

Now im not the smartest fella in the world but this seems way over the top. Is there any way she can make a will with all her wishes on it for a cheap price, or perhaps even for free, im really unsure of this as im not too sure of things like this. Also she has a 5 grand life insurance policy which she has me named as the main beneficiary but would she have to include this on the will also?

worbikeman

You're the good egg? Hmm:think:

nearlyhomeless

worbikeman wrote: »

You're the good egg? Hmm:think:

lol i can see how this comes across but really if you read my other threads then you will get the idea

Errata

She barely speaks english and she had found a lawyer who agreed to make up the will but he demands 400 to make the will and another 200 pounds per year to keep hold of it.

I suggest your mum with your help shops around and gets a few quotes. £200pa for storage is outright thieving, the Probate Service will store it in their secure store for a one-off fee of £15.

nikki1520

A lot of charities will do you a will for "free" only asking that you make a bequest to them when you die. It doesn't have to be a big amount - and then store it with the probate service.

I wouldn't recommend doing a DIY as it sounds like your brothers may contest it - better to get it all right and tight at the start!

getmore4less

Far too expensive.

Phone around a few STEP solicitors.

or wait till nov for will aid

http://www.willaid.org.uk/


be carefull with a charitible donation in a will they can backfire.

pollypenny

I was also going to suggest Will Aid, usually in November.

OP, you say you're not very smart, but you're at uni! Hmmm!

hethmar

The average charge is about £120 for the Will and you could probably store it for a few quid a year.

I just got a booklet re wills from PDSA as I was thinking of leaving a bequest to them. Their solicitors can write up the will for a reasonable price and store it for zilcho.

Have a look a Age UK to see what they recommend.

Poppy9

Sorting out probate for my MIL and solicitor said he'd charge us £90 for a will and free storage

thesavvygirl

thought about a DIY will pack from W H Smith

Annisele

I might be adding two and two and making five here, but...

You say your mother doesn't speak English very well, and that she owns land worth £20k. Is this land in the UK?

Which country is the "foreign bank account" in?

I ask because, whilst in England you can leave your money to whoever you like, that isn't true everywhere. If she wants to make sure her will is valid in both England and the other country(ies), she might need to make two wills, and she'll definitely need a lawyer familiar with the law of the other country. I can well see that costing more than usual.