Posts on Wills Law

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As Winter approaches and the New Year will soon be upon us, now is the perfect time to review your Will and estate plan to ensure that your affairs are in order for 2025.
We are delighted to be taking part in Free Wills Month, supporting Tenovus Cancer Care (Wales’s leading Cancer charity).
The death of a loved one is always a difficult time. The situation can unfortunately be made even more stressful if it is discovered that the deceased’s last Will is not as family members and friends may have expected, particularly if it is felt that the Will does not reflect the deceased’s true wishes as they had previously expressed them.
Many people think about making a Will, so that their loved ones are provided for following their death, but they do not consider how they can ensure their affairs are managed during their lives.
Vulnerable people across England and Wales will continue to be able to have their Wills witnessed via video-link up until 2024. The measures were brought in during the pandemic and the new legislation will mean an extension.
In your twenties or even thirties, making a Will isn’t always a top priority. Many claim they’re too young, they don’t own enough, they don’t have any children yet or they can’t afford it!  Furthermore, with the life expectancy of the average person in the UK at an all-time high, many think that a Will is something that you do when you are ‘old’.
As a business owner, it’s more important than ever to have a solid continuity plan to ensure that your business will keep running smoothly if you were to become unable to make decisions.
Following a recent BBC article it is now suggested that very soon Wills can be made and witnessed online in England and Wales. But, is it right that the Ministry of Justice will allow Wills to be witnessed remotely?
At the outset, DIY Wills can be seen as an inexpensive option.  However, the legal costs involved to remedy their potential errors, may well exceed the cost of a professionally prepared Will.  Moreover, it might not be possible to rectify mistakes that are discovered when it’s too late.  People are not always aware of the complexities of making a Will and can assume probate work is really simple. This is not always the case.
Many people are under the misapprehension that there is no need for them to make a Will as their spouse will inherit everything. However, under the Intestacy Rules, a spouse or civil partner will only inherit the whole estate if the deceased has no children.