Do it Yourself Wills

Kathy Plumley, Will Writer

These days it’s very tempting to save money wherever we can but don’t be tempted to write your own Will. Could you confidently construct a legal clause to distribute your most important asset (your home) whilst considering your tax position and the inheritance rights of your spouse or children?

But surely you can just go to a local stationers and buy a Will package and do it yourself. It’s cheaper... well, yes you can, but it is risky if you don’t know what you are doing. Some common problems with ‘do it yourself’ Wills: 

• Wills not signed properly 
• Incorrect witnessing of the Will 
• People don’t understand the responsibility they place on their executors 
• The package may not be valid under UK law

These errors may render the Will invalid and your loved ones may not inherit as you would have liked. That really is a false economy. 

How important are your children to you? Many people will say their children are the most precious part of their lives. They will spend time and money planning for their future, yet many won’t put time aside to arrange a valid Will.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a common law spouse. Dependants are not automatically recognised under the intestacy rules (dying without a valid will is called dying intestate) so a partner from an unmarried couple would not automatically be entitled to any share of the deceased partner’s assets. Assets would instead pass to the parents, siblings and relatives. If the property in which they live is not owned jointly but is instead owned by the partner who dies, the surviving partner could end up without a home. If jointly owned, the surviving partner may have to sell up in order to pay half the value to the deceased partner’s family.

Our Estate Planner, Kathy Plumley, visits people in their own homes and takes their instructions in person. She ensures Wills are written to suit the individual requirements of the client and looks at ways to protect them and their family against different concerns they may have.  Are you prepared to leave everything you’ve worked for all your life to chance? DIY Wills may be cheap, but they could be costly – if you have people you care about, make sure you have a properly written Will in place.

Give Kathy a call and find out more about Wills.

Kathy Plumley
c/o Steve Weisner
Independent Financial Adviser
Radcliffe & Newlands
5th Floor Crystal Gate
28-30 Worship Street
London
EC2A 2AH  

Tel: 020 7382 0437
Fax: 0207 374 0462
Email: SWeisner@myeggnest.com
www.rad-new.com

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