11 September 2015
Do not delay - write your Will today
It’s a common misconception that you only need a will when you are older or that you don’t need a will at all if you would like everything to pass to your spouse after death, but typically the law is never that simple…
It’s important to make a will to ensure that your wishes are fulfilled, whether it be by stating that you want all family and friends to wear psychedelic colours and sing songs at your funeral, or whether you wish to leave your entire estate to the local dogs home. Unless its written down and executed correctly, it is not legally binding.
There are many things to consider when making a will, and if you make a will with a Solicitor they will guide you through it step by step. For example, something to consider would be who shall act as your executors?
The role of the executor is to administer the estate in accordance with the terms as laid out in the deceased’s will. An executor will need to ensure that they are aware of the full value of the estate and take account for any liabilities before distributing the estate. An executor is legally bound to fulfil their duties correctly.
Here at JWP we can be named in your will and can act as an Executor. Having met with you and prepared your will, we are then able to administer and distribute your estate on your behalf after death, having taken into account the wishes and directions that you have explained formally and informally to us.
Once you have prepared your will, and it has been signed and witnessed, it then must be stored in a safe place to ensure that your wishes can be fulfilled.
If you have instructed us to prepare a will for you, then we can keep your will in our will safe, free of charge. We will then provide you with copies of your signed will and you should advise your executors about their role as stated within your will. They should also be notified of where the original will and the copies are kept.
Your will is an important legal document and should be kept in safe place.
Making a will should not be burden, it should be the contrary. Here at JWP we ensure that making a will is easy and a good job done, and simply one less thing ‘that we never get round to doing’.
Read next blog: What you need to know about Intestacy Rules
