Writing Your Will

Writing a Will involves working out what you own - your assets - and setting out who will inherit them after you have passed away. It also requires you to appoint people who are going to carry out your wishes, called executors.  

What should I consider when writing my Will? 

• Assets 

• Draw up a list of your assets, including any joint assets, and consider who you want to inherit them. 

• Speak to your partner about what their intentions are for their Will, as this may need to be reflected in your Will. 

• If you wish to give a specific item such as a picture, piece of jewellery or furniture to a specific person, list these individually giving as much detail as you can. 

• If you wish to give a legacy to a charity, consider whether you wish to donate a specific cash sum or item, or whether you wish to give a proportion of your estate.    

• Children  

• If you have children under 18 or are considering having children, you will need to consider appointing a Guardian in your Will. 

• Discuss your choice of Guardian with your partner and with the person you wish to appoint. 

• You will need to decide at what age children should inherit. the law says children inherit at the age of 18, but it may be appropriate to delay this until later. 

• Executors 

• It is advisable to have at least 2 executors. They might be a family members, a trusted friend or a professional person, such as a solicitor, and can be someone who you wish to be a beneficiary. 

• Cost 

• The cost to write your Will depends on your own particular circumstances. We will discuss your specific needs with you and advise you how much your Will (or joint Wills) would cost before we prepare your Will for you. 

• The cost to write your Will includes storage of your Will indefinitely and registration of your Will with Certainty, a national Will database, saving £30.00 per Will for registration. 

• Your Will may cost more if you need to include trusts or tax planning. We will let you know if this is the case at your initial appointment. 

Reviewing your Will 

Certain circumstances, such as marriage or divorce, can partially or fully invalidate a Will so it is a good idea to review your Will regularly to check it still reflects your wishes.  

Cohabitation 

If you move in with a new partner, but do not marry or enter a civil partnership, you need to consider reflecting this in your Will as Intestacy laws will not recognise your new partner.   

Divorce & Remarriage 

It is important to review your Will if you divorce and remarry, as both of these can affect your Will. You can protect the interests of your children in your Will to ensure that they still receive a share of your property by way of a Life Interest Trust.