Why bother making a Will
If you want to make sure your wishes are followed after your death, the only sure way to do that is by making a Will. Many people assume that everything they leave behind them will go to their loved ones. This doesn’t always happen. Current legislation will dictate how your money and other assets will be distributed if there’s no Will. For instance, if you’re living with someone but not married, when you die your partner won’t automatically inherit your estate. Your partner will, in fact, have to apply to the courts to ask for an inheritance.
Even if you are married there can still be problems . If there are children from an earlier relationship, you need to consider how and what they should inherit on your death. Again, making a Will is the only way to address this. You also need to take into account the legal rights of your children even if you have made a Will.
Making a Will helps to reduce the likelihood of disputes over your assets after your death.
What should I include when making a Will?
Your Will must contain certain things to ensure it is valid. It must also comply with a number of technical requirements.
When you are making a Will, you should consider:
- Who you want to inherit your estate
- Who you wish to appoint to deal with the administration of your estate (your Executors)
- Whether you wish to leave a sum of money or a particular asset to any person, organisation or charity
- What arrangements you wish to make concerning your children, if you have any
- Whether you have any specific funeral requirements
Our experienced lawyers will lead you through all aspects of making a Will and make sure it complies with all of the formalities. You can read our guide to making a Will by clicking here. (Note: complete page and links).
I have a Will. Is there anything else I should be doing?
Keeping your Will up to date is very important. Circumstances change and these changes may mean that you should change your Will. Think about reviewing your Will if you have had any significant change in your life or in your personal affairs.
You can contact our Macduff office on 01261 832 491 or Banff office on 01261 812 681 to make an appointment to discuss making or reviewing your Will.
