will's - cheap, safe, legal...where??

rockrat

i need a new will, and the last time i did this was with a solicitor about 10 years ago and it cost a small fortune.
i see these do-it-yourself packs at WH Smiths and other places, are they legal?
from your experience, where is the best place to get an updated will created?

thanks all

Rebecca22

Hi Rockrat,

There is no need to get a solicitor to draw up the will for you unless you have a very complicated estate and want to setv up all sorts of trusts to mitigate inheritance tax. The do-it-yourself will sets you can buy are as good as any, or you could draw your own up based on the last one your solicitor did, changing what you want to. All you need to make sure of is that your signature on the will is witnessed by two people who are not beneficiaries of the will, and also that someone knows you have a will and where it is kept (sounds obvious I know but easy to forget!) It is also worth putting in a sentence revoking any previous wills and the date.

Hope this helps!

Savvy_Sue

But if you have children it is money well spent to get it done professionally, it is also very easy to make a mistake in a will which makes a real headache for whoever has to sort it out.

StockportGerbil

My union (Amicus) has a free will writing service for it's members. I don't know if you're a member of a union and how common that benefit is....
Regards
Kevin

bluep

There are lot of business franchises springing up at the moment where people get send off for a couple of days course and then go round peoples homes writing wills for them. I personally would steer clear of both these and the "write-it-yourself" wills - I agree with Savvy Sue here. Whilst I'm not the most knowledgeable person on either of these methods, I would hate there to be any problems with my estate after my death and our local solicitors are extremely reasonable - £60 for both of my parents' wills last week. At that price why would you buy a DIY pack for £20? Phone around - the smaller the town, the better the price - my parents were quoted twice that amount where they live in London.

Quintus

Isn't there an association of will writers who just specialise in preparing wills?