How to Write a Will

How to write a Will

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How to write a Will

How to write a Will

Now, that’s the question! Here are some top tips to make things easy for you and there are recommendations on how to write your Will quickly and easily at the end.

How to write a Will - Use People’s Full Names on the Will

Always use everyone’s full names. Include their middle names wherever they exist if you know what they are. Never shorten anyone’s name. For instance, use Jonathan not Jon.

How to write a Will - Use full and complete Addresses

Do not be tempted to use any abbreviation of an address. Use West Midlands not W. Mids even though it is very apparent to you what you mean. This is a legal document so get everything in order. It only takes a few moments. Read on for more advice about how to write a Will.

How to write your Will - Be very clear about Relationships

You need to specify that a particular Paul Jones has a relationship to you because there might be many Paul Jones in the location never mind the whole world. State his or her relationship to you clearly, for example, brother or sister, uncle or aunt and so on.

The chances are that there is only one Paul Jones that is your brother so everyone knows exactly who you mean.

You may find that is hard to be certain about the more distant relationships so refer to these people as a “friend.” They will not be offended! Just be certain that they can be easily identified by their full name and correct address. Read on for more tips about How to write a Will.

How To Write A Will

How to write a Will

How to write a Will - Choosing Executors

A full and detailed description of each item and asset left in your Will is vital and should be included in the Will because your Executors might not find things as obvious as you do. Exactly which ring belonged to your great Aunt? If they are not sure, then they will not be able to pass it on as you wished.

You should very carefully choose your own “Executors.” These are the people who will carry out your instructions and write sure that your property goes to whom you intended. Now, here is a great tip in this How to write a Will guide - it is really important to consider who you want as your Executor. Did I stress that enough? Were you thinking of using a bank or a solicitor? Prepare to see a very large portion of your assets go to the bank or solicitor if you choose them as an Executor. It is quite a natural thought to name a Solicitor or a bank as your Executor but I have personally found a solicitor to be slow and extortionately expensive both in my own immediate family and other’s affairs.

So, what do you do if you do not use a Solicitor as Executor? After all, this is a legal process and surely a Solicitor is needed. Not so! As I said, this is a great tip on how to write a Will.

Administering a Will is really not difficult and you can obtain a great deal of help from the Probate Office who you will find most efficient and understanding. They have all the information that you need to administer the Will and most people’s affairs are pretty straight forward.

So, you can quite simply choose a family member to be the executor and they should be able to carry out this function for you quickly and easily. Make sure that you ask them first as it might come as a surprise later on if you do not.

How To Write A Will

How to write a Will

When considering how to write a Will, you should also choose an Executor who is not only willing to carry out this task for you but who is likely to be alive when they are needed and who is also unlikely to move away before hand. An Executor can also be a Beneficiary and you can appoint more than one Executor to work together and share the load, if you wish.

Should they not have time to carry out the work themselves then they can always ask for help – at least they have the choice if they named as Executor.

How to write a Will - Guardians

It is vital that you nominate a Guardian if you have children under 18. Check with them first to see if they wish to take on that responsibility. You should also take advice about how to provide financially for the Guardian and the Children in this situation.

I say take advice because it is such an important thing in how to write a Will and to get right and it is not necessarily a straightforward matter as there could be complications in how the funds are handled especially as there will be large sums involved. Do not mess around with this one.

How to write a Will - Gifts

Many people have items of sentimental value that they want to go to certain individuals when they are thinking about how to write a Will. This can become complex in your Will and can also change regularly which means you would have to change your Will frequently.

A more efficient solution is to include a “Gift List” in your Will. This means your Will does not need to be changed if you change a gift. Instead, all you have to do is write out a list of items and who is to benefit from them and keep it with your Will.

How To Write A Will

How to write a Will

Your Will should then include an instruction that tells your Executors to give gifts out in accordance with the Gift List that you have prepared. Do not staple the list to your Will but keep it alongside your personal papers or, preferably, place it in the back of your Will.

How to write a Will - Residue

The “Residue” is everything you own that has not already been gifted. It is normally given to your spouse or shared between close family members such as your children or parents.

How to write a Will - Funeral Arrangements

Did you know that this part of your Will that is not legally binding? In actual fact, it is just your preferences.

It is easier to simply tell your family, including your Executors, what your wishes are following your demise. You can go into more detail this way, if you wish, and it saves writing everything down. Most people can cover this off in a conversation lasting only a few minutes when deciding how to write a Will.

How to write a Will - Keep your Will Safe

Now that you have looked at how to write a Will it is a good idea to think about how you will store your Will. There are two important points to bear in mind. 1) Keep it safe and 2) Keep it where everyone can immediately find it when needed.

Here is another great tip on how to write a Will. Giving it to a solicitor for safekeeping is a really bad idea. Keep it safe in a fireproof cabinet or safe. They are available very cheaply from the DIY stores or similar places. Tell your Executors and family where your Will is and how to access it. You could also consider storing at some sort of safe document store or at the bank if you have access to Safe Deposit facilities. It might be

How To Write A Will

How to write a Will

easier for a husband and wife to keep each other’s Wills for easy access.

How to write a Will – Congratulate yourself

Finally, give yourself a hearty pat on the back once you have written your Will. You have done your family a big favour and they will thank you for it. Especially as you have gone to the trouble of finding out how to write a Will properly.

How to write a Will - Review of the options available:

There are two options which will suit most people. The first one will suit you if you are happy to write your Will online and the second one is more suited to people who wish to have the benefit of speaking with a qualified person who will prepare the Will personally for you. Here are the two options:

Ten Minute Will provides an online Will Writing service. It creates your Will for you by using a database of legal words and phrases which have been tested by legal precedent. These are put together using an intelligent document composer to write your Will.

The final Will document will be just as legally effective as if it had been written by a Solicitor. This is because solicitors were actually consulted during the design of the system. As a safeguard, your Will is checked by a professional Will Writer for your peace of mind.

The process is very quick. You fill in the online form and you Will is then prepared immediately. You can then download your Will ready to print and sign in just a few minutes.

How To Write A Will

How to write a Will

The system allows you to save what you have done so far and come back to it later on if you are interrupted during the process for any reason.

Best of all, you can test the system for free to see if you like it. There is also a money back guarantee if you decide to go ahead and make your Will with them.

<< Click here to go to the Ten Minute Will website >>

Ten Minute WillOnline Will Service Yes

Telephone Service No - everything carried out online

Final document checked by a Professional Will Writer

Yes

Printing Yes, they can do this for you if you wish or you can print it your self

Will Storage Service Not available

Discretionary Trust Will Yes, and there are various other services available

Money-back Guarantee Yes

<< Click here to go to the Ten Minute Will website >>

How To Write A Will

How to write a Will

The second option is provided by a firm called Will Drafters who will speak with you and provide you with a personal service. This is how it works:

A qualified Will adviser will telephone you at a pre-arranged time (up to 10 pm. in the evening) to discuss your requirements and answer any questions which you would like to raise.

Your specialist advisor will then take the information about what you want to include in your Will and record your answers on an instruction form. Your Will is then drafted by their legal department. It is then posted to you along with clear explanatory notes so that you know how it should be signed, dated and witnessed correctly.

Will Drafters will also telephone you later to check to see if you would like any changes made and that you are happy with the final document.

This service offers you a combination of being cheaper than a solicitor while still giving you the opportunity to discuss matters with a qualified professional so that all your queries can be answered. It also means that you do not need to leave the house in order to get your Will prepared.

<<Click here to go to the Willdrafters website>>*

*Pop your details into the form asking for a brochure on the Willdrafter's website and they will give you a ring.

Will DraftersOnline Will Service No - everything is done

personally for you by telephone

How To Write A Will

How to write a Will

Telephone & Post Will Preparation Service

Yes. You instructions are taken and you Will posted to you

Prepared by Professional Will Writer

Yes

Will PrintedYes - your Will is printed for you and sent to your home address

Will Storage Service Yes - this is available

Discretionary Trust Will

Yes - various other services are available

Money-back Guarantee Yes - 30 days

<<Click here to go to the Willdrafters website>>*

*Pop your details into the form asking for a brochure on the Willdrafter's website and they will give you a ring.

How to write a Will

All of the content in this guide is provided as information only and does not represent advice of any kind. You should take expert advice if you have any

concerns.

How to write a Will

How To Write A Will