By writing a will you can decide what will happen to your possessions and properties after your death. It is not a legal requirement to write a will but if you do not have one your assets may be distributed according to the law, rather than in a way you would have wished.
A will clearly sets out who will benefit from your estate after your death and should include information such as the money, property and possessions you own, who will benefit from these, what will happen to the care of any children under the age of 18 and who shall be the executor of your will - i.e. who will be responsible for carrying out your wishes and sorting out your estate.
Although it is possible to write a will yourself it is much easier to employ a solicitor to help you produce the document as there are various legal formalities that you must adhere to if you want your will to be valid. A solicitor can also advise you about how inheritance tax may affect you. If you are unable to visit your solicitor they may be able to come to your residence, care home or hospital to enable you to write or amend your will.
An unmarried couple may find it particularly beneficial to write a will, because they are then in control of what they leave to their partner. If you die intestate your partner may not be legally entitled to anything. It is also important to make a will if you have children as, in the event of you leaving them without a parent or parents before they come of age, you will want to ensure they are provided for and looked after by a guardian of your choice.
Ideally once you have written a will you should review it every five years as there may be changes you wish to make, based on the addition or loss of family members or a change in your personal circumstances. Any changes made must be by 'codicil' or by writing a new will.
Once you have written a will it should be kept in a secure place, such as a safe, and you should let your executor, family member or close friend know where it is.
Writing a will need not be a difficult task nor should it be one that you put off until another day. It will give you peace of mind and reassurance to know your affairs are in hand and that your estate will be apportioned according to your wishes.
Author Resource:
If you would like to find out more about writing a will why not visit the Barrington Law website where you can learn more about their services and how they can help you to write a will .
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