Free will vs paid will

GSTAR

Hi all,

I'm looking to help my mum arrange a will for herself.

Her circumstances are not that complicated. She is married, but separated. She owns her own property outright (as a sole owner). All of her possessions are her own. We're looking at a total estate value of max £300k. She wishes to leave her estate to her 6 children in equal shares.

She is a pensioner receiving pension credit. I was wondering whether it would be a good idea to get a free will (from somewhere like https://www.freewills.co.uk)? Or is it more "safer" to get a paid will from a solicitor's firm? The only issue there is the cost involved, which she might struggle to afford. 

Appreciate any advice on this matter.

RAS

If she is married, separated and not divorced, she really needs to see a STEP solicitor. Trying to leave everything to her children whilst not divorced invites mayhem.

GrumpyDil

Not sure about freewills.co.uk but the other option is to investigate charities who sometimes offer free wills in the hope that you will leave a donation in the will.

Absolutely a priority to get a will sorted out though as being separated will not prevent husband from inheriting under the intestacy rules.

Keep_pedalling

As a temporary measure a very simple DIY will may be in order here just in case she meets an unexpected untimely death.

43722

"She is married, but separated"... Doesn't come across as uncomplicated at all. Asking for trouble there.

Olinda99

as things stand, if she dies tomorrow her husband will inherit everything

Emmia

Please get her to go and see a  STEP solicitor. Wills (even what appear to be simple ones) are not something to DIY.

A will, drafted by a solicitor will be a few hundred pounds - a tiny percentage of her overall estate.

Emmia

Olinda99 said:

as things stand, if she dies tomorrow her husband will inherit everything

And if he dies, she can claim on the same basis.

https://www.gov.uk/inherits-someone-dies-without-will

FlorayG

You can get a will written through a national charity at no cost; I did mine through Cancer Research. You just need to find a charity that uses a solicitor near to you.
This is a perfectly regular will, they pay the solicitor bill, you just pay for the identity check ( I paid £26). They actually sent me to the same solicitor who wrote my original will ten years ago for which I paid full price!
There's no catch except a moral one; they ASK you if you would like to leave them anything in your will and of course most people do, but you don't have to
Google 'free wills through charities' and a list of them will come up

KxMx

I did a will recently via the National Free Wills Network (Cats Protection).
No money changed hands at all I didn't pay for an ID check like the poster above.
I did have to travel as there were no participating solicitors in my big town though. 

SiliconChip

Emmia said:

Olinda99 said:

as things stand, if she dies tomorrow her husband will inherit everything

And if he dies, she can claim on the same basis.

https://www.gov.uk/inherits-someone-dies-without-will

Not if he has a Will, and there's nothing in the OP to say whether he does or doesn't (probably because it has no relevance to the question asked).