Free Wills

monaymadlol

Hi my partner and I just used free wills to write fairly straightforward wills. What's the catch them being Free? We didn't choose them as executor. Has anyone else used this service as advertised by Martin Lewis? They seem to have good reviews? Thanks 

Browntoa

I suppose the catch is someone attempting to use it for a complicated will and making expensive mistakes.

If it's a simple " leave all my assets to my 2 children" then it's fine.

They do offer to check the will and print it as additional paid for services , they derived some income from that 

RAS

Is the company regulated by the Law Society or by the Society of Will-writers? 

Martin promotes the free will month offered by some lawyers in conjunction with charities but I very much doubt he advertises for any of the myriad of companies offering free wills.

p00hsticks

Browntoa said:

I suppose the catch is someone attempting to use it for a complicated will and making expensive mistakes.

If it's a simple " leave all my assets to my 2 children" then it's fine.

They do offer to check the will and print it as additional paid for services , they derived some income from that 

Even when as simple as that there are often further things to think of - e.g what if one or both of the children predecease you ? Who gets the assets then ?

An experienced solicitor will discuss all of the 'what if' cenarios to ensure that every eventuality is covered, a free will writer might not...

FlorayG

what company or charity did you do this through? Do you mean there is an actual company called Free Wills? Or were you directed to a solicitor by a charity?

ButterCheese

I did a free will once a few years ago.  Even though it was "free", you had to pay £10 a year to leave it open to being edited.  This company relied on me forgetting about it and I actually paid them £10/year for 2 years until i realised.  I stopped the payment then. 

But now my circumstances are complicated, we will be making a proper one with a solicitor

monaymadlol

RAS said:

Is the company regulated by the Law Society or by the Society of Will-writers? 

Martin promotes the free will month offered by some lawyers in conjunction with charities but I very much doubt he advertises for any of the myriad of companies offering free wills.

He does promote the free wills website, on this very website 

monaymadlol

FlorayG said:

what company or charity did you do this through? Do you mean there is an actual company called Free Wills? Or were you directed to a solicitor by a charity?

Free Wills. As promoted on mse by Martin Lewis under the Wills section 

monaymadlol

Browntoa said:

I suppose the catch is someone attempting to use it for a complicated will and making expensive mistakes.

If it's a simple " leave all my assets to my 2 children" then it's fine.

They do offer to check the will and print it as additional paid for services , they derived some income from that 

I guess my savings and investments would get sold off and that would comprise of my estate?

I've split everything between partner/family/charity, leaving specific items to specific people and I assume my more valuable assets would get sold and put into my estate pot but I don't see anywhere to specify this, so I'll need to double check if I can add this information.

Main issue is the reserve beneficiary section where it wants you to fill out the % splits again, rather, than what I assumed, would be if beneficiary X dies first then add to Y. Though I guess I can amend stuff like this if a beneficiary dies before me assuming we don't all die together 

The pension expression of wishes was more straightforward forward and I assume is not (currently) counted towards the IHT allowance and goes to beneficiaries tax free?

elsien

RAS said:

Is the company regulated by the Law Society or by the Society of Will-writers? 

Martin promotes the free will month offered by some lawyers in conjunction with charities but I very much doubt he advertises for any of the myriad of companies offering free wills.

The main site will section does link directly to this company, alongside some caveats about not having to accept the solicitor as executor.

They are mentioned on the following grounds as the only free will company that do this:

“Your will is checked by a regulated solicitor (meaning you could complain about the solicitor to the Solicitors Regulation Authority).

Free Wills is a member of the Society of Will Writers (where you could take a complaint about the service provided by Free Wills).”