People often wonder if they really need to worry about writing a Will. The short answer is... yes, you do. There are many good reasons for writing a Will. They include the following:

• Creating a valid Will is the only way to ensure that your estate is distributed according to your wishes in the event of your death. Without a valid will, your estate will pass in accordance with the intestacy rules;
   
• If you are not married or in a civil partnership, your partner cannot inherit from you unless there is a will;
   
• If you have children, a last Will is necessary to make arrangements for them in the event of the death or either one or both parents;
   
• Writing a Will ensures that inheritance tax payments are minimised;
   
• If you have a change of life ci rcumstances (E.g. divorce or dissolution of civil partnership), you can change your Will accordingly.

Although we have offered information on how to create a valid Will on your own, it is generally advisable to use a solicitor who specialises in Wills and Estates to guide you on the best way to draw up a will according to your individual circumstances. They will help you en

sure that your Will reflects what you want, ensure it is valid, and they can also help you with inheritance tax planning as well as setting up trusts. You should really only consider writing a last Will yourself where it is going to be straightforward.

Situations that make it particularly advisable to use a solicitor include where:

• You share a property with someone who is n ot your spouse or civil partner;
   
• You would like to make provisions for a dependent who is unable to care for themselves;
   
• You have several family members who may make a claim on the Will;
   
• Your permanent home is not in the UK or you are not a British citizen; or
   
• You are resident in the UK but you have property overseas.
   

If you are going to write your own will, be aware that if you do make any mistakes, these could end up being very costly and distressing for you beneficiaries. For what is often a relatively very low cost in obtaining a solicitor’s advice, there is no question that it is certainly a worthwhile investment for getting advice on writing a last Will.

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