Will writing

spurdog1

Not sure which board to place this?

Need to get myself and wife's will sorted. Many offers to send willwriting kit, but solicitors offered close 3900.00. this is too expensive 4 me. There is a charity month october/november. I am just concerned "do i REALLY need a solicitor?" They would say to get it right you need solicitor, but some offers like town and country... Has anyone good advice. Otherwise it may pay to have two wills...huband leaves all to wife....wife leaves all to husband.

Of course practical experience suggests that my will worked/didn't work...how can i tell you, I am dead

Keep_pedalling

Yes you should use a solicitor, but £4k for two wills is way over the top unless we are talking about complex estates with trusts. Have you got any other quotes? 

I have asked for this to be moved to the deaths funerals and probate board which is a more appropriate place to ask questions about wills.

eskbanker

spurdog1 said:

Not sure which board to place this?

Perhaps https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/deaths-funerals-probate is more appropriate than savings & investments?

FWIW I think it makes sense to pay for expert assistance for writing wills but much will depend on how complex your financial affairs are, both now and when the will needs to be used....

spurdog1

Thanks bud

DRS1

Otherwise it may pay to have two wills...huband leaves all to wife....wife leaves all to husband.

Fine for the first death but what about the second?  Or do you expect your wife to remarry after you have gone?

You may not need a will.  Just read what would happen to your assets if you die without one and see if you are happy with that.

Bigwheels1111

Over 55 free wills month is on now.

This would be ok for a simple will.

ie, Husband's assets go to Wife or Wife goes to husband.

Then split between the kids after both parents have passed.

Our will was Me to Her or Her to Me.

When we both die, the estate was divided, 2% for X, 3% for Y etc.

Was free at time of writing, £200 donation to a good cause after death was included.

spurdog1

What if we both agreed one to the other (no danger of remarrying)... a separate agreed documdnt signed by both (but private) agreing the split oncebot passed?

LHW99

You can buy a will template and do it yourself - but even more risk of it not being watertight / legal than with a will writer IMO

tacpot12

I've just paid £480 for two mirror wills for myself and my partner at a local solicitors. 

law_1990

my old man used farewill for his. Think it's about £100 per will but he got it for free through macmillans. You basically type out your bits and pieces and they'll usually call you to confirm some stuff and if you have anything specific they can add that into the templates they use. Recently had to put my old man's will through probate but had 0 issues with it. The caveat being that his estate was very simple. Just money and no property. But might be something to look into.

Bigwheels1111

law_1990 said:

my old man used farewill for his. Think it's about £100 per will but he got it for free through macmillans. You basically type out your bits and pieces and they'll usually call you to confirm some stuff and if you have anything specific they can add that into the templates they use. Recently had to put my old man's will through probate but had 0 issues with it. The caveat being that his estate was very simple. Just money and no property. But might be something to look into.

Farewill are very good, well my dealings with them.

I used them for a cremation last year, they talked my through every step, kept me updated, even calls to check on my state of mind.If I needed help etc, what to do next and how to go about it.