Will Aid

nnamak

I'm interested in Will Aid, but would you clarify what a 'simple will' is, please. What actually constitutes a, 'simple will'?

Savvy_Sue

I'm sure solicitors might have their own definitions. however, a simple will might be "I leave everything to X, and if they die before me then to Y and Z."

A not-so-simple will would be "I leave my house in trust to X, they may live in it for 10 years / until they die / remarry / cohabit, at which point it passes to Y and Z. I leave the remainder of my estate to Y and Z." It's not so simple because you need to think about the implications for X, who might decide they'd like to move somewhere else but they can't do so without some of the proceeds of the house.

There are shades in between, of course. I don't know if the number of beneficiaries and who they are would make a difference, and whether any of them are minors, but these are all things which can complicate inheritance.

TBagpuss

Yes, I'd think it will depend on how complicated your financial situation is and how complicated the way you want to leave things is. for instance, if you want to leave everything to your spouse or partner, and if they die before you, to your children, and you own a house and some savings, then it's probably a simple will. If you want to set up a trust or life interests, or if you have enough that you need inheritance tax advice, then it probably isn't!

Keep_pedalling

Your family set up is also important, where second marriages and / or step children are involved it is no longer simple.

The more complex your finances and family relationships are, the higher the need to have wills and LPAs in place, so do not think about putting it off just because it might cost a bit more.

maman

If Will Aid is motivating you to get a will sorted then I'd go for it rather than worry whether you fit into the 'simple' category.


We got ours done a while ago under Will Aid. I can't remember all the details but I think we had the will done for free and agreed to pay a donation to a charity as a top as ours wasn't considered simple.


That may have just been the way a local solicitor handled more complex wills under Will Aid. It might be different in your area. What really matters though is it's done otherwise we might still be putting it off.:)