Without a Will, a fixed set of inheritance rules (called the Intestacy Rules) decides who gets what, and the result might not match what you would choose yourself. It can also leave your family waiting a long time to find out where they stand.
Our will writing solicitors, part of our wider wills and probate team, take that uncertainty away. A well drafted Will lets you choose who carries out your wishes, appoint guardians for your children, decide who gets what and make sure your partner is provided for, so you and your family have peace of mind.
If you are not married, your partner is not automatically entitled to anything from your estate if you die without a Will. Even if you are married with children, your spouse only receives the first £322,000 under the current rules, and then shares the remainder of the value of the estate with your children. This may make your partner financially vulnerable, and many homes are worth more than that today. A Will lets you decide what your partner actually receives, rather than leaving it to a fixed limit.
A Will lets you choose who would look after your children if anything happened to you, rather than leaving that decision to a court. Most of us expect our children to be grown up long before we die, but that is not always how things work out, so it is worth naming guardians in case they are ever needed. The same thinking applies to any pets who would need a home, and to anyone else who depends on you.
The right advice on how you structure your assets can also reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax your family ends up paying. Our wills solicitors will look at your full circumstances, your property, savings and any business interests, before recommending what makes sense for you and the people you want to protect.
When you make your Will with us, we also register it on Certainty, the National Will Register, free of charge, so it can always be found when it matters. Certainty retains the client name and the firm holding the Will. No information about the content of the Will is held or disclosed by Certainty.
We talk you through your options in plain English, make sure nothing important is missed, and put a Will in place that actually reflects what you and your family need, rather than a generic template.
If you would like to talk through what you need from a Will, get in touch. Complete our enquiry form or contact your nearest Hine Solicitors office to arrange an appointment. Wendy Flawn, Samantha Stafrace, Adam Bragg and Jade Bacon are among the team who can help.
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