Wills
It has been estimated that seven out of 10 people have not yet made a Will. Is it something you have yet to get round to?If you have not made a Will, everything you leave will be divided according to the fixed rules of intestacy. For example:
- Without Wills, a husband or wife may only receive part of an estate if there are children. This can lead to the forced sale of a family home causing much distress.
- If you live with a partner, unmarried, the survivor on death receives nothing at all if no Will has been made unless they have been living together for some years prior to the death and are eligible to make a claim to court.
If you draw up your own Will the main danger is that you may unwittingly use language that will misinterpret your intentions. This can cause more problems than no Will at all. If a bank prepares your Will it often insists on also acting as an executor. Its fees for so doing are usually much higher than those of a solicitor.
Latest news
- Farming Family in Intestacy Challenge The problems which can arise when there is an intestate estate that involves business assets were made clear recently when the High Court had to rule on a complex claim relating back to a death that occurred many years ago. At stake was a share in a farm, claimed by the children of a woman who died in 1993 without leaving a will. Her estate...
- Executor Who Stole From Estate Faces Prison An executor who stole more than £80,000 from the estate of a client faces a jail sentence for his crime. The man, who operated as a ‘will writer’, also faces a confiscation order against his assets. Much of the money was used to finance a luxury cruise for him and his wife and for gambling...
- Donating Your Body to Medical Science Possessions and money are not the only issues which can be considered when making a will. Some people choose to donate their body to medical science after death in the hope that it will be of some practical use. Donated remains are used by medical students for...
