DIY Will

shown73

Thinking about buying one of those diy will packs from Smiths, and wondered if anyone has any opinions or experience of doing something similar. Are there any pitfalls, for example. Just me and the wife, plus two grown sons without families, so should be pretty straightforward, no complicated arrangements.
Would be interested in opinions, experiences, etc.

Farway

I have DIY will, mine was obtained online though but delivered by post

Like you my affairs are straight forward, two grown up children

I found it easy, the one I got had to be sent back for "once over" by legal bod, once OKd I got the witness sigs etc, gave copies to kids and told them where the original is kept

Kids are also the executors

Easy peasy

DigForVictory

While affairs are simple (as in Really Really Simple) the WHSmiths will kits can do an adequate job.
Just by being married with children, I'd recommend reading this MSE link - as peace of mind is priceless.

agrinnall

What country are you in? It might do for England but inheritance laws are different in Scotland.

If you're in England then I noticed in DFV's link that March is Free Wills month, so you may as well take advantage of that and get it done properly.

teddysmum

My father's affairs were simple, as he had two daughters and was a widower. He didn't have a kit; just a stationery shop bought sheet, headed Last Will & Testament, which he filled in and had witnessed by neighbours.


Nowadays,he could have printed his own, using a template from the Net.

jackyann

There is quite a lot about this on the Death & Probate part of the Forum.

There are mixed feelings about DiY wills, but many posters think that they are fine as long as they are straightforward. If you use Lawpack, they have a "checklist" which helps you decide if there are any complications.

I have had both DiY wills (when I was married, no kids; and when my kids were adults, no grandchildren). I have drawn up wills with solicitors when there were my own young children to consider, and when there were some other complicating factors.

I think that the most important things, apart from keeping it simple, is to review it (we do a quick "checklist" every January)

I have been involved in the probate of both a DiY and a solicitor-drawn-up will. The DiY was simple, up-to-date, and probate straightforward. The solicitor's one should have been simple - but had not been changed in 40 years, so tracking down (dead) executors, working out which charity should now benefit etc. etc.

Keep_pedalling

jackyann wrote: »

There is quite a lot about this on the Death & Probate part of the Forum.

There are mixed feelings about DiY wills, but many posters think that they are fine as long as they are straightforward. If you use Lawpack, they have a "checklist" which helps you decide if there are any complications.

I have had both DiY wills (when I was married, no kids; and when my kids were adults, no grandchildren). I have drawn up wills with solicitors when there were my own young children to consider, and when there were some other complicating factors.

I think that the most important things, apart from keeping it simple, is to review it (we do a quick "checklist" every January)

I have been involved in the probate of both a DiY and a solicitor-drawn-up will. The DiY was simple, up-to-date, and probate straightforward. The solicitor's one should have been simple - but had not been changed in 40 years, so tracking down (dead) executors, working out which charity should now benefit etc. etc.

Worth having a read through that forum, to see just how many problems are caused by poorly drafted wills. I have made a DIY will for my mother who has a vey simple and very small estate (I won't need to go through probate when the time comes), but we had our wills drawn up by a solicitor even though they are reasonably simply because the size of the estate means the consequences of an error could be disastrous.

A solicitor will make sure all the what if scenarios that you may not have considered are covered, such as you main beneficiaries dieing before you do.

[Deleted User]

Spend all the money and get 100% equity release from property and waste it all, its only what most of our kids will do with our hard earnt dose

macman

A basic will drawn up by a solicitor costs from about £80, which is less than many people are happy to shell out every month for subscription TV...