If someone had asked me at the start of my legal career to estimate the amount of times I might be called upon to attend someone who was dying to prepare a Will for them, I would have said ‘maybe once or twice?’. Sadly, this has not been my experience and I am unable to say how many times I have done so.
One survey recently highlighted that at least half the population have not made a Will. Another survey put the figure as high as two thirds. Why do we put off making a Will? I suppose it is because we have a reluctance to consider our own demise. The daft thing is, we all know it is going to happen one day...
It is never easy to attend to legal matters following the death of a loved one as we are still in a state of shock and grief. However, the legal process must begin, and it greatly assists those we leave behind if we have made a Will that sets out our wishes.
Making a Will is especially important for couples who may not be married because if they die without a Will in place, the law determines who is to receive their estate – and a partner for the purposes of the law is not a person automatically entitled to receive a share in your estate.
Making a Will is very important for couples who may have children from previous relationships and want to ensure that their money will pass to their own family. This can be a sensitive issue between couples – but it doesn’t have to be so. It is possible to draft a Will making sure that your spouse/partner is provided for in the event of your death and ensuring that ultimately your family will inherit your estate.
We are all living longer and another real concern for many people is paying for long term care. This is especially the case for older couples. If you wish to receive advice in relation to inheritance planning, please contact us to arrange an appointment to see one of our qualified lawyers who will be happy to discuss this with you.
There really is ‘no time like the present’ for making a Will. None of us know what life has in store for us, and this document can help to put concerns you have for your loved ones future after you are gone out of your mind. Currently, there are savings of up to 16-21% on couples wishing to create mirror wills, so the sooner you can make your Will, the better for you and your family.
Even if you have already made a Will, it might be a good idea to review it and see if it still meets all your requirements and accurately reflects your wishes. If we did not draft your existing Will it doesn’t matter, we are still able to advise you and prepare a new one should you wish to do so.
If you are interested in making or updating a Will, you can contact Deborah Abbott and the Wills team on 01376 320456.
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