wills

[gleno1]

My husband and i have decided to make a will. Could we do it ourselves on a will form that we bought from a stationers or do we need to do it through a solicitor .We d be grateful for any opinions T hankyou

[carmalee]

You can do it without the need for a solicitor and its perfectly legal if done correctly. However, unexpected things may arise after your death and I think you are far better off using a solicitor. It's not too expensive and ensures there are no mistakes. Also some solicitors will make your will for you and all you have to do is to bequeath the cost of the work done by the solicitor to Cancer Research (around �100 is fine and it is taken out of you estate ,you don't have to pay for it now). Having said that I do know people who have done it themselves and all was well - I've just had a very bad experience with my brother's will so maybe I'm just a tad touchy. Good luck

[buildersmate]

If you go the solicitor route, just don't be persuaded to have the solicitor act as executor of the will - money for old rope.

[bednobs]

cancer reasearch WILL put you in touch with a solicitor who will do it for free, but you dont have to leave them anything (although clearly they hope you will) also, you have to be over 50 to use that service (it could be 55) http://legacies.cancerresearchuk.org/legal_pro fs/freewill_service.asp?fs=1

[dzug]

You don't need a form at all but you do need to have some understanding of what you are doing.

Read something like the Which Guide to wills and probate and see if you feel comfortable with it.

[gleno1]

carmalee buildersmate bednobs dzug thank you all for your replies a happy new year to you all

[factor-fiction]

Do you have children and are you in Scotland, gleno1? I know Scottish inheritance laws are different from those in England & Wales and I'm not sure whether terms of a will are superseded by inheritance laws.

Doing a will yourself is fine as long as the affairs are straightforward (straightforward property issues, no illegetimate children who could come out of the woodwork, no former wives/husbands, no major IHT issues, no family businesses, no trusts, etc).

You also need to make sure it is signed and witnessed properly with signatures being witnessed and where witnesses are not beneficiaries. These wills sometimes fail on technicalities.

[gleno1]

Thank you for your reply Factor 30 .We live in england and the will should be straight forward ,never been married before-no illigetimate children -no major iht We have two children and six grandchildren .-we own our own house that is our main assett and i honestly dont think that our children would argue about it they get on very well with each other and their spouses .

[Rev. Green]

Nothing new to add really. I would reaffirm the advice not to let a solicitor be an executor. Solicitors are good if there are complications, but for a simple will they can be very expensive and introduce huge delays.
All you need is a sheet of paper saying, for example, to appoint one of your children as executor; for them to sell your house and divide your estate equally between A and B. Sign and date it, and have two disinterested friends or neighbours sign, address and date it. Their names must follow yours.

[gleno1]

Thankyou very much for your reply Rev, Green