Making a Will, am I being ripped off?

[toontra]

Just to point out that it's Will Aid month (every November).  Contact a local solicitor participating in the scheme and you can have a will made up free of charge, provided you make a charitable donation at the suggested rate: 40 for a codicil, £75 for a single will or £110 for a pair of mirror wills.

http://www.willaid.org.uk/

[little miss mac]

What a great idea. I'm going to do that this week.

[Rig of Jarkness]

Ditto - many thanks for that, it looks most interesting.

[fred the great]

Obviously somebody who specializes in Wills is the best approach and DIY if it only requires a simple statement of how the  assets shall be distributed.

If you choose to appoint a local Solicitor ask around/check the work they have handled and most importantly "how much per hour?" and what extras are not included?

Don't ask me why I recommend great care in such appointments

[Kathy]

Can anyone persuade me (aged 30, married, no kids) as to why I would need a will and couldn't just rely on The Law?

[Ham]

Can anyone persuade me (aged 30, married, no kids) as to why I would need a will and couldn't just rely on The Law?

You may be surprised to learn that a spouse does not automatically inherit everything from the other ( The Probate Service - Why make a will? ) Now that may not bother you, or you may not think it affects you, that's fine. Often conditions change without you noticing (things like the value of your property increasing) so that can affect your thinking.

Ultimately it is one of those things that is Very Good to have and it is also Very Good to do it when you don't have a need to. My wife and I ended up writing ours after she had been diagnosed with cancer, and it felt horrible. Do it precisely because you don't have to.

[mmmmartin]

I bought a CD from WH Smiths. i think it was a tenner or thereabouts. seemed pretty simple. left everything to 'er indoors. she left everything to me. if we both go it all goes to the nipper. what could possibly got wrong?

[Polar Bear]

What happens if you all go together?

[Polar Bear]

Can anyone persuade me (aged 30, married, no kids) as to why I would need a will and couldn't just rely on The Law?

Possibly.  What do you want to happen to your assets?   What sort of funeral / burial do you want?   Making the rash but possibly true assumption that you want Tim to have everything, what if you and Tim pass together?   

[Wowbagger]

What happens if you all go together?

Would you care?

[Fi]

A will stops people squabbling about who is to act if there is no obvious choice of executor.  The paperwork with a valid will is more straightforward for whoever is going to administer your estate than having to mess around getting Letters of Administration.

[Pancho]

What happens if you all go together?

Would you care?

Because you might want your loot going to a charity of your choice rather than the Crown (not of your choice)?