How Important is a Will? A Guide to Will Writing by Wills Made Clear

The short answer is - very important.

There are many reasons people might start thinking about writing a Will or updating an old Will. Maybe someone close to you has passed recently and you have witnessed the chaos and heartache of the family trying to deal with the estate with no Will in place. Or maybe you have recently had a big life change such as purchasing a new home, getting married or having your first child.

Whatever the reason, you're right to be thinking about writing your Will - but you need to be doing more than just thinking about it - it's time to take action!

If you're over 18 years of age and living in the UK and you're wondering how important it is to write a will then read on - Jane from Wills Made Clear has over 30 years experience in helping families with estate planning.

The good news is - you've started thinking about writing a Will. The next step is to make a personal Will checklist of everything that you would like to be included in your Will. You could get trusted family and friends to help you with this in case there are items (or people!) you may wish to consider but hadn't thought about before.

Making a Will checklist is not only a good idea to help you and your estate planner to understand what property you own and what to do with it; it is also a reminder of what pensions and insurance schemes you have, and who they are with. This makes it easier for your estate planner to help you understand your options and to make decisions faster. But, don't worry if you are unsure of all the details - your estate planner can usually find out certain information on your behalf, even without all the finer details.

If you haven't made a will, not only do you risk your valued possessions not being divided up according to your wishes, you are risking making it harder for your loved ones to complete probate and settle your estate.

Your loved ones will only inherit assets (for example, money or property) if they are also named as a beneficiary in the will, and only those in the will can apply to become an executor of a persons estate; or those who are the 'closest relative' if there was no will. The issue with not having a will is that your estate could end up in the hands of someone you don't want. For instance, if you separated from your husband or wife but never divorced, then they could be classed as the closest relative; meaning any new partner you may have (and any step children) will not be considered.

The good news is, the Government are considering making a change to the law, to ensure that the witnessing of a will can take place digitally - this change makes it so much easier and quicker for people to ensure their estate is protected for their loved ones.

Wills Made Clear can help you with issues regarding applying for probate, finding out about executors on a will, the best way to leave money in a will, how much does a will cost in the UK, how to update your will; and many more questions that our clients face when they are making a will.

For more information contact Jane at Wills Made Clear who can talk you through the process and explain the next steps when you're ready to make your will.

You can also check the Citizens Advice Bureau for more information.