From £199
A Will provides certainty. It ensures that your assets pass to the people you choose and that those people (executors and trustees) then manage these when you have gone. It allows you to appoint guardians for minor children, make gifts to charity, and to protect assets through the use of Will trusts.
From £199
Robert SteinDavid was extremely helpful from the moment we first spoke and he was very efficient in making the whole process as smooth, simple and fast as possible. I would highly recommend David to anyone.
Caroline WellsContacted The Wills and Estates Company for some information and advice. David explained everything in a clear and understandable way to enable our family to make the right choices. Fast and professional service, would highly recommend
Paul MchughWe were recommended, from our financial adviser, David's services and how good he was. We weren't disappointed. David got in touch and arranged a time to suit us and came to the house. He was very precise and clearly knew his craft and dealt with all our questions in a very clear manner. We recommended his services to a family member who was just as satisfied with David's professional service and friendly approach. We highly recommend David.
Your peace of mind is the most important thing for us. Our Wills are prepared by a specially trained will writer who, as an affiliate member of The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), you can be sure you will receive a professional, regulated service and that we abide by the Industry Code of Practice.
We will go over the legalities of making a Will, take instructions and answer all of your questions. We will also return to you to ensure all legal documents are signed correctly.
In England and Wales, you have to be over the age of 18 to make a Will. The only exception to this rule is for members of the armed forces who can make a “Privileged Will” where the normal formalities governed by the Wills Act 1837 do not apply.
We believe it is vital that everyone over the age of 18 should consider having a Will made. Specifically, if you have children or grandchildren, support a charity, own property, or wish to protect assets for future generations, speaking to a member of our team is of even greater importance.
Problems arising from mistakes in your Will are only found after your death when it is likely to be too late to correct them. Although it is possible to write your own Will, professional advice should always be sought in an area so complex and important, and, of course all of our work is covered by professional indemnity insurance.
If you die without a Will you will die ‘intestate’. This means that your estate will pass in accordance with the rules of intestacy as stated at that time. This does not guarantee that your assets will pass to the people you would otherwise have chosen. Indeed, some people are excluded from benefiting directly such as stepchildren and unmarried partners. Guardians for minor children will not be dealt with, and assets will not be protected.
You are not in control of the decision-making process, the government is.
Mirror Wills are two individual Wills made by couples. The Wills are similar and reflect each other although each Will can be slightly different. They operate where two people have similar intentions, but it is unknown whose Will will operate first.
Here are some simple facts to dispel some myths:
A marriage or civil partnership revokes a Will although you can make a Will in contemplation of either.
Divorce or annulment doesn't revoke a Will but treats the former spouse or civil partner as having died before you
There are no formal rules about where you should store your Will, but it should be kept somewhere your Executors will be able to find it. It also needs to be securely stored so that it is protected and provided only to those entitled to see it. There are professional storage providers for Wills, like ours and we register the location of the Wills we store with The UK Wills Register.
It is vitally important that you review and revise your Will as your circumstances or those of your loved ones change. Any future Wills will contain a clause which revokes any previous Wills.
We can review your existing Will without obligation always providing you with the best advice.
Don’t assume that because you’ve been with your partner for years that they will inherit everything when you die. Only a Will can offer this assurance.
A witness cannot benefit from the Will they have signed and any gifts to them will be void/invalid.
