How could my mother make a will for cheap?

Savvy_Sue

Annisele wrote: »

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.

That is very good advice, and I will add to it by suggesting that a good lawyer dealing with the English will would insist on having an interpreter for your mother (NOT you), to ensure that she understood what she was doing, and to ensure that any suggestion that you had influenced or coerced her could be rebutted.

This will not be cheap, but it will probably be cheaper than the long term cost of sorting out a mess after she has died.

hethmar

I have to admit I only read the heading and now I see this is much much more complicated than a straightforward will so will require some real specialist help, particularly with assets abroad.

Yes, I was thinking that if she cant speak english then you will need an independent interpreter - lol, anyone could tell the solicitor, "she wants it all left to me" couldnt they!

How old is she if you are only at Uni?

margaretclare

hethmar wrote: »

I have to admit I only read the heading and now I see this is much much more complicated than a straightforward will so will require some real specialist help, particularly with assets abroad.

Yes, I was thinking that if she cant speak english then you will need an independent interpreter - lol, anyone could tell the solicitor, "she wants it all left to me" couldnt they!

How old is she if you are only at Uni?

Just what I was thinking.

I don't like all this 'she's getting old' - well, so are we all, so will the OP given time! 'Health problems' - well, many of us have those too, but so long as we have all our marbles, we manage to live our lives somehow.

What prevents her from learning the language of the country in which she has chosen to live? Age and health are no bar.

AFAIK an insurance policy can lie outside any will provision, in other words the proceeds can go straight to the nominated beneficiary.

Errata

I don't like all this 'she's getting old' - well, so are we all, so will the OP given time!

Clearly the OP meant this as a matter of fact, so there's nothing to dislike or like about it.

margaretclare

Errata wrote: »

Clearly the OP meant this as a matter of fact, so there's nothing to dislike or like about it.

What I meant to say was - what does the OP mean by 'getting old'? What is 'old'? Is it a specific date on the calendar that the OP thinks of as 'being old'? Does Mum herself say she is 'old' or 'getting old'?

I don't think it is so much a matter of fact as a matter of perception. Different people have different ideas of what constitutes 'being old' or 'getting old'.

Mojisola

Writing a will and your age are really separate issues. As soon as someone has money to leave or responsibilities to others, they should write a will. None of us know when we're going to die.

Annisele and Savvy_Sue have given good advice. Also, follow Errata's advice about storing the will.

margaretclare

I completely agree. Everyone should have a will of whatever age. Some people believe that it's 'tempting fate' or some such superstition - if they make a will they're more likely to die. I've heard of people in the 80-90 age bracket who believe this.

hethmar

True, although its not actually mum who is thinking about making the will is it, but I think the point being made was that the OP had said his mum was old and had health probs. I just wondered how old a lady with a son young enough to be at Uni could be to qualify as "old"

Mojisola

If she does get a will made, make sure the will writer/solicitor doesn't talk her into naming them as executor.

As the situation is that your mother will be leaving everything to you and nothing to your brothers, any decent will writer will want to talk to your mother alone through an independent translator. He/she will have to make sure that you are not unduly influencing her.

margaretclare

hethmar wrote: »

True, although its not actually mum who is thinking about making the will is it, but I think the point being made was that the OP had said his mum was old and had health probs. I just wondered how old a lady with a son young enough to be at Uni could be to qualify as "old"

Yes, that's why I asked about 'what is considered to be old'.

My GS went to uni as a mature student and graduated a couple of years ago now. It's the same uni where I went as a mature student, although it was called a polytechnic then. Now THAT is guaranteed to make you feel old!

Strangely enough, even at my advanced age I do not 'feel' old.