will

[peterbaz]

hello folks myself and my partner are thinking of making our wills can anyone tell me is a will thats downloaded from the net legal ? or would we be better going to a solicitor

[starone]

Don't see why not, as long as you follow all the instructions and make sure you get it witnessed by two independent people. I have hand written mine, although I must admit it was quite simple and have no qualms about it whatever.

[Old_Geezer]

Yes to both I reckon.

[VHG]

The trouble is if you make a simple mstake in the will it can invalidate the whole thing, or mean the money goes to the wrong person.

Many solicitors offer "cheap wills" so why not go to the Citizens Advice Bureau and see if anyone local offers that service.

[VHG]

btw You say "partner" so if you are not married then what happens to the house (if you have one) and money can be totally different than if you are married.

If a married person dies the house and money usually goes direct to the surviving spouse.

But if a couple are not married, and one of them dies, the house or money could well go to a relative of the person who died rather than the surviving partner.

Remember a "partner" has no legal standing no matter how long you have been living togather.

[dennisb66]

You can purchase your own WILL forms and get all the information you need on how to write a legal will correctly off the internet.

[Barmaid]

I honestly believe you are better going to a solicitor or bank or willwriter. I have spent many many years dealing with wills and whilst I am sure that the majority of home made wills are fine, I would guess that on construction or "cock up" issues home made wills make up about 80%. It's really easy to get it wrong.

[Buenchico]

I'm not going to argue with Barmaid's advice to use a professional but I would advise preparing a first draft yourself. When I was running a will-writing business I realised that the solicitor who had prepared my own will (many years earlier) had failed to ask lots of important questions.

I'd recommend getting hold of a copy of this book:
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation
(It's in almost every public library in the country).
Use it to draft your wills and then get a solicitor to 'tidy up' the drafts. Doing it that way should ensure that important questions don't get overlooked.

Chris

[ladybirder]

These people do your will for you for £30.
http://www.beneficent...o.uk/make-a-will.html

[cathfromsaron]

i wouldn't!

solicitors do mirror wills from £80 each plus VAT!

apparently, they make more from people who don't make wills, and those who use a form and word them incorrectly!

cath x

[peterbaz]

thanks guys plenty of food for thought guess id better marry the old bird first lol xxxx

[Buenchico]

While that's clearly intended to be just a light-hearted comment, it does lead to an important point.

If you write your wills prior to getting married, those wills will be automatically revoked as soon as you get married unless they clearly state that they were drawn up 'in contemplation of marriage'.

[tonywiltshire]

Take note of what BC says over marriage, it is a common mistake. I believe a solicitor will give the best advice and prepare your will appropriately and remember all solicitors must have indemnity insurance. But as said earlier many people will continue to create DIY wills and provide the legal profession with a good income.

[FredPuli43]

Don't know of any lawyer who would write their own will. The old saying "The lawyer who acts for himself has a fool for a client" still resonates! If they did, they'd have it checked by another lawyer, out of abundant caution (or 'ex abundante cautela' as they might put it). They'd not be quite so fondly remembered if they missed something or made some slip to the detriment of their estate.

There are safeguards in using a solicitor. He's insured, for one thing. The will is less likely to be challenged by disgruntled relatives on grounds of duress, fraud, or undue influence, since the solicitor should satisfy himself that those are absent, which deters the intending litigant. And, of course, mistakes that the amateur can so easily make are avoided.