Wills - costs?

Jet

Anyone have any idea how much a will costs to set up?

I am a single parent hoping to get my decree absolute in a few weeks time and want to make a will.

I would want my DS to inherit everything but for it to be put in trust and have my friends as the people responsible for the funds until my son is 18 or 21 or whatever age I decide.

Care of my son would go to his Dad and although this doesn't fill me with joy, I think it's only fair. However, if anything happened to his Dad too (sorry to be a bit negative!), I would want my son to go to my friends and not to any members of either family.

I would think this is reasonably simple - so how much is it likely to cost me?

MXW

I'm a single parent and have done exactly the same thing. Cost me £100 plus vat.

Jet

MXW wrote:

I'm a single parent and have done exactly the same thing. Cost me £100 plus vat.

Through a solicitor?

ckerrd

I saw do it yourself will packs in Staples the other day - they claim to be perfectly legit - about £15 for one if I remember correctly.

The even had a special offer on a pack of two for the his n hers option

MXW

Jet wrote:

Through a solicitor?

Yes through a solicitor

Ellie2758

I would advise you to ring around and get several quotes. OH and I did a mirror will today and it cost £94 inc VAT. For a single will it was £45 + VAT. I got 8 quotes and they varied up to £340!!!!! Needless to say, I went with the cheapest and it was fine. Not posh offices though, by any means.

fesdufun

ckerrd wrote:

I saw do it yourself will packs in Staples the other day - they claim to be perfectly legit - about £15 for one if I remember correctly.

The even had a special offer on a pack of two for the his n hers option

Not sure whether I would this option for anything other than a straight forward will. As there are children involved I would get it done through a solictor. Check to see whether the solictor deals with wills directly some just pass it on to someone that does but will keep a cut of the money.

Good luck. It is really something I should do but keep putting it off.

Lillibet_2

Hubby & I got mirror wills made from a solicitor who advertised in one of the free family magazines (grapevine I think), cost £90 inc vat.

HOWEVER, (joint custody not withstanding) you can appoint who you like to be responsible for your child & others to be responsible for the trust fund upto whatever age no problem, BUT you cannot make arrangements in the event of your chosen guardian being unable to fulfill their responsibilty at a later date : i.e if dad says yes then dies a year later it is down to dads will to say who looks after son (or in the absence of a will social services will step in & place him, he will not automatically go to next of kin). You can appoint dad as your preferred guardian and if he is unwilling/unable to act at the time then appoint a back up guardian (e.g your mum) but your mum would not step into the role if something happend with dad further down the track after it's all finalized. Hope this makes sense?

We went through this in quite a lot of detail as I was adamant that I don't ever ever want my mother-in-law in a position to bring up our son but the short answer is that I can say who gets him initally but thats it.

HTH & good luck;)