It has been estimated that seven out of ten people have not yet made a Will. Is it something you have yet to get round to?
If you have not made a Will everything you leave will be divided according to the fixed rules of intestacy. For example:
- Without Wills, a husband or wife may only receive part of an estate if there are children. This can lead to the forced sale of a family home causing much distress
- If you live with a partner, unmarried, the survivor on death receives nothing at all if no Will has been made unless they have been living together for some years prior to the death and are eligible to make a claim to court.
If you draw up your own Will the main danger is that you may unwittingly use language that will misinterpret your intentions. This can cause more problems than no Will at all. If a bank prepares your Will it often insists on also acting as an executor. Its fees for so doing are usually much higher than those of a solicitor.
At Frederic Hall we use our specialist expertise in preparing a Will, with knowledge not only of the law of Wills, but also the laws of property, trusts and tax, all of which may have a direct bearing on how your Will should be drawn.
Making a Will can be a very simple and inexpensive way of looking after the people who are most important to you which, in turn, will give you security and peace of mind.
Once you have made a Will you should think about updating it from time to time. Family and financial situations change over the years and so we always advise clients to review their Wills if these changes happen and in any event they ought to be reviewed every five years to take account of changes to the law and the taxation system.
We provide:
- A personal service
- The benefit of our knowledge and experience
- A patient and sympathetic approach to a job that some clients find very stressful
- Value for money
- Home visits if necessary
Contact us at our Folkestone or Dover office for an appointment