Own Hand written Will in plain English

I still think Which Wills are a good option.

Which Wills

A couple of years ago DH and I remade our wills and they were very expensive due to the complicated family arrangement (we were both divorced with children when we met).

I had heard of a close friend who had recently married a widower, with two children and numerous GC, who unfortunately then died. He said he wanted to leave all his estate to his new wife as he felt that she would ensure it was divided fairly to his two children (grown-up). In the end, he divided his estate between his new wife and his two children - a third each. The children never spoke to her again as they felt they'd lost out on their mother's estate (half)

This made me think about what would happen after I died should my DH remarry, would my children and step-children receive their fair share of my estate? Once remarried, his new wife would inherit his estate by law if he didn't bother to remake his will. All a lot of consider.

The laws relating to wills differ in England and Scotland. A will written in one , could be contested in the other. Have a look at the Probate department’s website for more information. Many charities off free will making facilities. Good luck!

Our solicitor offers a free will service if she handles your conveyancing. If you have/are moving recently/soon it could be worth asking them.

I would advise to use a solicitor rather than a will writer as solicitors are regulated by the Law Society whereas will writers are not although some are members of trade associations.

We used a solicitor for our wills after learning that a distant family member had used a will writer and his will is still not sorted out after twelve years due to the will writer’s incompetence whereas if a solicitor had been used a complaint could be made to the Law Society.

Also a friend made a will but the sole beneficiary died before before he did and he was judged to have died intestate and his money was claimed by the state as no other relatives could be found.

When my brother died, he had no property, and the rest of what he had did not reach the then figure for probate (£5000), and I had no problems whatseover in being able to get what he had left and sort out his affairs.

It seems the banks will now release £20,000 without (Co-op Legal Services). Banks do vary however.

I have registered my interest for March. But I remember doing this a couple of years ago also, but I never received any further information (kept an eye on my junk mail too). I think it's all down to supply and demand of the number of solicitors in your area. I have since moved house so I am hoping I may be lucky this time.

iIn the event if anjy of my children dying before me, then their children receive the share their parents would have had, So, nothing for anyone to dispute. As my g.children reach adulthood, they also have copies of this will.

Franbern You say your children will not oppose iyour will Suppose a child dies and one of their children decides to question it?

You say you have made careful provisions for what is to happen to the share of any child, should they predecease you, but how many people making a will on the kitchen table remember to do that, or even give it a moment's thought?

For example Shinamae gives all the details of her will, but not what happens if one of her children dies, what happens to their share?

Some charities offer free Will Writing services through designated Solicitors for a small contribution.

My Dad left a handwritten will leaving everything to me. No problems whatsoever with probate.

When my brother died, he had no property, and the rest of what he had did not reach the then figure for probate (£5000), and I had no problems whatseover in being able to get what he had left and sort out his affairs.

An Aunt who died without either a will or property but an amount of money went through probate which I did on behalf of my father (her only surviving sibling), very easily.

Do think that sometimes there seems to be a lot of generated concern about probate and wills.

Mine is typed - drawn up by myself, have covered all the points regarding appointing Executors (and even reserve executor in case named ones are deceased, etc.) Made arangements what to be done in the event of any of my children and g.children should die before me, etc. These are the only benificients. My signature witnessed by two close friends.

Main benificaries are my five children, all have a copy of this will (original kept with deeds of property, etc). No-one is going to oppose any part of it, do not see I need to go to anyone else for this.

If it was complicated, with lots of beneficaries, and/or cutting people out, or uneven distribution, then mayjbe I would go to a Solicitor.

Shinamae I paid £176 a few years ago for my will to be done by Solicitor. However I ended up ripping it up because I did not like that language that was used.
I agree, I had a will prepared by a solicitor which was supposed to be an update to a will already made, but the new one was five pages of legal terminology and I didn't understand it at all. I don't believe that is necessary, and they were just being pompous. I told him I couldn't sign something I didn't understand, and went to Which Wills who made a much simpler will.

Basically all I wanted was to leave everything to my two daughters, and if either didn't survive me to leave their share to their children. What could be simpler?

Shinamae

Callistemon21

We did that, Shinamae

Nice to see you out of your corner! 😂😂😂

😁 Thanks!

DaisyAnne

The free wills month is actually two months. Martin Lewis has details
here

However, the actual date depends on where you live.

I do understand what you are saying GSM. However, using a solicitor may well seem too expensive to those will very little income. I think it's a great shame that it must feel so difficult for some do this at a price they can afford.

Yes, I think our solicitor would do a free will for charity at any time, I don't remember going at any specific time.
However, it was a long time ago.

M olliminx1 have you thought about what would happen if you lost capacity to make decisions about yourself and your medical care. I wonder if you ought to think about Power of Attorney for your son to make those sessions on your behalf.

The free wills month is actually two months. Martin Lewis has details
here

However, the actual date depends on where you live.

I do understand what you are saying GSM. However, using a solicitor may well seem too expensive to those will very little income. I think it's a great shame that it must feel so difficult for some do this at a price they can afford.

We bought a will from WH Smith’s for about 20 quid when my brother was dying and hastily filled it in with him, leaving everything in trust to his young daughter with myself and sisters as executors. I had to see a solicitor re setting up the trust and she was very sniffy about what she called a ‘home-made will’ but she had to admit it it was all perfectly legal.

Callistemon21

We did that, Shinamae

Nice to see you out of your corner! 😂😂😂

Callistemon21

We did that, Shinamae

And I can take my hand written will to the solicitor, and they can translate it into the appropriate jargon…🤓

Great idea

We did that, Shinamae

Callistemon21

You can have a will drawn up by a solicitor free of charge, MollyMinx1, if you leave a certain amount to charity.

freewillsmonth.org.uk/#:~:text=Free%20Wills%20Month%20is%20back,locations%20across%20England%20and%20Scotland

It avoids unnecessary complications to have a will drawn up by a solicitor.

Thank you so much I have registered my interest..💐

You can have a will drawn up by a solicitor free of charge, MollyMinx1, if you leave a certain amount to charity.

freewillsmonth.org.uk/#:~:text=Free%20Wills%20Month%20is%20back,locations%20across%20England%20and%20Scotland

It avoids unnecessary complications to have a will drawn up by a solicitor.

A salutary lesson there.

My mothers hand written will was also declared void and the person she didn’t want to inherit got half of the small amount she left instead of the ones she wanted to inherit.