A Will is a means by which a person may set out their wishes in respect of their estate in the event of their death. It might detail the deceased’s wishes for funeral arrangements and go into as much or as little detail as required, perhaps even detailing music and a venue for the wake!
However, the main reason for a Will is to set out how one’s estate is to be handled and eventually distributed. It is normal to appoint an executor to the estate who has authority to act in accordance with the terms of the will. This might be a family member or a professional person, such as a solicitor. If the latter, fees will be payable.
Of course, if there is no will, how your estate is distributed is dependent upon law and in general terms, in England and Wales, if you are married, your spouse will inherit the first £250,000 after tax with the remainder split between the spouse and any children. If unmarried then your partner gets nothing and it all passes to your blood relatives. If you have children, a Will is the only way to appoint guardians of your choice. Otherwise, the State will decide. This might result in your children being wards of the State. Furthermore, if you remarry, any former spouse or blood relatives will lose any claim they may have had under a former Will.
Clearly, therefore, not having an up-to-date will is a bad idea.
To speak to our Wills and Estate Planning team contact us on 01628 507477.
Download our Free First Time Buyers Guide
Recent posts
The average age of a first-time buyer in the UK is two years older than 10 years ago. This is understandable with managing the cost-of-living and challenges within the economy such as high interest rates making it difficult to get onto the property ladder.
Delayed Start Mortgage from Skipton
6 days ago
Skipton Building Society launches ‘Delayed Start’ mortgage meaning first time buyers won’t be required to make repayments for the first three months.
According to a survey by Skipton, first time buyers who bought their home in the last five years found that in the first three months of living there, they were spending upwards of £30,000.
Gardening Tips for Beginners
11 days ago
If you have recently moved into a property with a garden that requires a little TLC, or you’d like to get on top of your current green space, check out our tips.
The Family-Backed Mortgage from NatWest
14 days ago
High street lender, NatWest, have launched a new product to help first-time buyers purchase a property with assistance from a family member or friend to get them on the property ladder sooner.
The Impact of Klarna on Mortgage Applications
15 days ago
‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) schemes, such as ‘Klarna’ are short-term loans that allow shoppers to make a purchase, but delay paying for it for an agreed amount of time.
Klarna is one of the most popular BNPL services with 18 million customers in the UK alone, and offers interest-free payment options which is appealing to shoppers. However, does it affect a mortgage application?
Buy to Let mortgages: what's happening?
20 days ago
We look at how to get the best Buy to Let mortgage rate, what's in store going forward, and options as a landlord with increasing costs.
UK mortgage rates following Trump’s Tariffs
14 Apr 2025
Throughout this past week, lenders have continued to reduce their mortgage rates giving borrowers in the UK some welcome news following the change in global tariffs under US President, Donald Trump.
Effective ways to relieve stress
14 Apr 2025
Did you know that buying a house, or relocating is in the top 10 most stressful life events?
Stress of course is an unavoidable part of life and there are many reasons why people experience stress, not just buying a house!
There are lots of effective ways to manage and reduce stress, check out our tips to help you.
More information
Trusted by
