Have you made a will ?

I really must change mine - DH and I currently have mirror wills, but we know I'll outlive him (he's sole beneficiary of MIL's estate - she doesn't want any of her estate to go to my DDs, now permanently estranged), so want to arrange for their share of my estate to be split between GC and to protect DS' interests - want to set up a trust for GC to try to force the girls into reconciliation with their half brother. Also have a local charity I want to give something to. Do not want the state to get any more than I can avoid - sooner leave to the cats' home!

No, I've not got a will, because I'm unsure what my circumstances will be. I can't be spending every few months changing it.

Anyone who hasn't got a Will and Lasting Powers of Attorney, ring a solicitor TODAY! I'm not religious, but there's a saying of JC, "Ye know not the day nor the hour", and that is still as true today as it was 2000 years ago. When I worked on the hospital wards, I often spoke to women (and sometimes men) whose OH had always handled the finances and because they'd had a stroke or some other life-changing illness, had no access to money, could not pay bills etc. which an LPA (Property and Affairs) would have sorted. As to Wills, it's much harder and costlier to sort out if you die without. Incidentally, people who have dementia or other conditions can still make a Will or LPA providing they still have the capacity to understand the principle of what they are doing. According to the Mental Capacity Act, each decision is taken on its own merit. Best to get a solicitor qualified to deal with the Affairs of the Elderly (I know!) Google SFE or STEP to find one near you.

It's strange how many people think that they don't need to do a will until they are old! Once you have property and/or children a will is strongly advised. As far as I am aware the only situation that changes a will is marriage, but I could be wrong. The other thing that is important is Power of attorney. It saves so much trouble if something happens .

We have mirror wills, very easy Solicitor just had a chat to us and then sorted everything out, we have had two members of the family die intestate and its very difficult trying to deal with that alongside everything else.

Make sure you spend it all having a good time abbey!

We have mirror wills and youngest DD knows solicitor we used.
When my Mum made her will she left me her sewing machine - I hated sewing, although came from a family of seamstresses. After she died I couldn't find a copy of her will until my daughter told me it was hidden in the sewing machine .

I have not made a will. Unlike those replies above ( and like most of those on Heir Hunters) I have no family to mention.

If the one I know about outlives me, fine, he can pay the IH and have whats left. Otherwise they can go hunting for heirs of distant and unknown relatives or not. I really do not care. I have no charities I want to give anything to either. So that is my answer.

You asked for an answer. I have given you one. I am not going to enter into a debate about it.

annsixty I think you can do something if your DH has a diagnosis of dementia. Ask Citizens Advice or look at their website, or go to your solicitor.

I don't understand why it is not compulsory when you get a mortgage that a will should be made.

Also, make sure the wording is correct. I had a wonderful relationship with my in-laws (more like parents than in-laws). When my dear MIL died my FIL gave me all her jewellery (some good, some not so!). However shortly after he died my husband left me and my FIL's will left everything to him, apart from a bequest to our daughter, so I was left with nothing. All his family could not understand why I was not included until the solicitor told us that he had pointed this out, but my FIL had said that there was no need as our marriage was so strong!

Ours dealt with us very sensibly and professionally and made similar suggestions to us...

One rainy day when DH & I couldn't go on the walk we'd planned, we decided to make a list of everything that our 2 children would need to know if we got 'run over by a bus tomorrow' (as my mum used to say). We got all our paperwork, insurance policies etc. sorted and grouped together - it was a very useful exercise in all respects.
We emailed each of our children with the necessary info to access everything they'd need to know, for them to file it away - pointing out that we were both fit & well and not to worry
One very alarming thing did come to light, our house deeds were not with our solicitor as we thought, but with the Woolich BS (which no longer exists) and still showing a 'charge' (money owed) to Barclays bank - a (very large) sum which we had repaid in full 13 years ago. Its taken a while to get this sorted out, which it is now, but it makes you think that if we hadn't checked up about the deeds (and that bus my mum was always worried about had hit us) our 2 children might have thought that we really did owe all that money!
I urge everyone to prepare for The Bus........

A solicitor will have dealt with almost every scenario before... choose your solicitor ... especially this month during "free" will month...
and just do it...
You will feel so much easier when you've made a start ...

Chewbacca. Wills don't become out of date but it is a good idea to review them regularly. Check people's addresses, that they are still alive, that you still like them, that you still want the same trustees/executors etc. If you have a substantial estate there may have been changes in the law to consider etc.

We have, and recently updated them, but I thought the other day that dds don't know where they are, or where the assets are. I thought of this when Dh and I were off on holiday - what if Something Happened to both of us?

Once she was widowed and in her 70s my mother had a small briefcase where she kept a copy of her will, plus info as to where her savings were, spread around in various accounts, with details.
In the end she developed dementia and my siblings had P of A, but it made it a lot easier for them.
Another thing she left there was a letter to us all, written pre dementia. It was really lovely to read it once she was gone - it was like having our previous mother back again, since when she died she hadn't recognised any of us for quite some time.

My dad and mum made theirs themselves , it was a very simple one.
My husband and I have done the same. Cost nothing but it is very straightforward. If you have special wishes or circumstances then a solicitor may be needed.

Some people are clueless about inheritance. My co-grandparents are estranged from their son and want everything to go to their daughter (my DiL) and her family.

I've explained time and time again that this will not happen unless they make a will, but they just keep repeating 'but everyone knows what we want'.

In the process of doing it, I am estranged from one of my two children, which has broken my heart, she is in a much better financial situation than the other, but still going to leave everything between them as I love them both as much as I always have. Just hope that the one who has always been there for me understands.

Mine is lodged at the solicitors offices, along with the house deeds.

I suppose some people just assume that everything will go to their spouse if they die, but that's not the case. It's also more expensive and time-consuming for the family to sort things out if you don't leave a will.
I have just made a new will, now that I am widowed, and I am making sure my two daughters know where it is and what it says.

Yes mirror wills but only recently due to circumstances but we are lucky as very straightforward

We didn`t bother about wills for years, but then last year, when my husband was ill and we knew he wasn`t going to get better, we contacted a solicitor, she came to the hospital to draft the wills, then back a few days later for us to sign them. They were simple, I left everything to him and he to me, then after that to our children. My husband died 2 weeks later, and I had to go to the solicitors office for mine to be changed, everything now being divided equally beween our 5 children when I`m gone. I also didn`t cost anywhere near as much as I expected.

Go to a solicitor then gillybob Our wills were a bit unusual but the solicitor sorted it all out extremely well. A load off our minds, and not too expensive either

Recently updated ours with a local solicitor who has been helpful and knowledgeable, encouraged us to think about a lot that just hadn't occurred to us. We are producing letters of wishes to go with the Wills about details of funeral and particular personal possessions. Her advice was, as it is our belief our family would honour our wishes, to do that rather than include too many specifics in the Wills as it's easier to record changes of mind should they occur. A weight lifted when the Wills were signed as the old ones were woefully outdated. Gilly if you look at local solicitors online most give an outline of their services we emailed the two we liked the sound of who sent us their fee list. Not too expensive here. A solicitor will help you clarify your thoughts and advise on any potential difficulties.

DH and I keep talking about writing a will but never actually get around to doing it. Ours seems very complicated and we really don't know where to start.