Solicitor or will writer?

Yes, very definitely worth using a solicitor rather than a will writer. If anything goes wrong, solicitors are regulated and carry compulsory insurance.

Thank you GSM. I will use a solicitor. I was hoping you would see my post.

👍🏻

I agree. I personally (with respect to helpful GSM) think there are a few short-lived occasions when simple DIY wills are OK.

But it seems to me that will writers are neither one thing nor another.

Unfortunately, as is often said, solicitors make more money sorting out the aftermath of home made wills than writing them.

I don't want my children to have problems with my will as they, like many adult children, have very busy lives.

Solicitor every time, will writers are not regulated by theLaw Society. The father of a distant relative used a will writer and they are still trying to settle the will after nearly 12 years but it looks unlikely that there will be anything left after all the bills have been paid.

Germanshepherdsmum

Unfortunately, as is often said, solicitors make more money sorting out the aftermath of home made wills than writing them.

A solicitor might charge £500 for writing a straightforward will, but that amount goes nowhere if there are problems

Solicitor, always.

Think of the cost of using a solicitor as giving you peace of mind that your will is properly written in a way which expresses your wishes clearly and is not open to any misunderstanding or misinterpretation. Well worth it.

A solicitor every time. I am unsure if a will writer can do anything about Power of Attorney for property and finances which I think is vital. Would he or she have the knowledge?

Using a solicitor also means that in the very rare case where an error does arise you have redress through the Law Society and a system for storing and keeping wills if a soicitor closes down.

I have had friends left on the lurch when will writing comapnies have closed down. Unable to retrieve their wills when needed.

Solicitor every time.

Thank you all for replying. You have been a great help in pointing me in the right direction.

Very helpful to me too as DH and I have mirror wills which are over 30 years old and we need to renew (although SH doesn’t think we need to!) as a lot of water under the bridge since 1993 when our wills were written (by a solicitor). We’re also thinking of doing Powers of Attorney (which we don’t currently have).

Charleygirl5

A solicitor every time. I am unsure if a will writer can do anything about Power of Attorney for property and finances which I think is vital. Would he or she have the knowledge?

It’s easy to do Ps of A yourself, after downloading the forms. But you do need to read - and follow - the instructions very carefully, esp. as regards signing/dating. Any mistake means it will be rejected and you’ll have to start (and pay) again.

I’ve recently updated mine
Yes , I had advice from a solicitor

I know that you don't have to update wills as long as you don't want to change the intentions, but really, executing my dad's 50 year old will was a pain! Like bothering an elderly lady I didn't know for the date of her husband's death so I could get a certificate as he was a named executor (why? I couldn't remember who he was!). I was lucky she was still alive (almost 100) and living in the same house!
My late FiL did a DIY will that he updated every 3 years, and his was easy to follow and execute.

I don't advocate them, I just think there are times they fit the bill. We needed to change our wills, short of both time and money, so we did a DIY - sell the house, entire estate divided evenly between our adult children (no steps, adopted or complications). Two years later when all was settled we saw a solicitor for the full proper works.

It's worth bearing in mind that the standards among solicitors varies just as it does among willwriters. Solicitors make their money from probate (by including provision in their wills to charge if they handle the probate) on behalf of the executors / beneficiaries. The will itself is often treated as a loss leader to get the probate work later down the line! If money is tight I would recommend that you only choose a willwriter who is a member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters (https://www.ipw.org.uk/) as they require all their members to carry professional indemnity insurance through the IPW block indemnity policy. This equates to solicitors' professional indemnity carried by law firms. IPW Willwriters can also prepare a Lasting Power of Attorney for property and financial affairs. If the estate is complex and you need expert tax planning and, money is not an issue, I would recommend that you choose a solicitors' practice that has a Private Client Department, i.e., specialists in Wills, Estate Tax Planning and Probate.

Katie59

Germanshepherdsmum

Unfortunately, as is often said, solicitors make more money sorting out the aftermath of home made wills than writing them.

A solicitor might charge £500 for writing a straightforward will, but that amount goes nowhere if there are problems

I paid about £25 for my will, but they may charge more to change it.

Shop around there may be offers at certain times of year.

£25 seems very low for a Will. I need to make one - what would be the usual sort of a charge for a simple Will?

When we married in 2017 we made new wills, the cost was over £900!

FYI You can do Enduring Power of Attorney simply online. It cost me £82 each( you need separate ones for health and wealth) to register them. Takes a little time and effort but much cheaper than using a solicitor or other professional. I was quoted £1000. I did mine and partners a few years back. Take your time and check then double check all in order before sending off but they will check at the other end and return if a mistake found. Obviously they can't check eg if you spell names wrong, incorrect date of bith etc.

AliSut1959

It's worth bearing in mind that the standards among solicitors varies just as it does among willwriters. Solicitors make their money from probate (by including provision in their wills to charge if they handle the probate) on behalf of the executors / beneficiaries. The will itself is often treated as a loss leader to get the probate work later down the line! If money is tight I would recommend that you only choose a willwriter who is a member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters (https://www.ipw.org.uk/) as they require all their members to carry professional indemnity insurance through the IPW block indemnity policy. This equates to solicitors' professional indemnity carried by law firms. IPW Willwriters can also prepare a Lasting Power of Attorney for property and financial affairs. If the estate is complex and you need expert tax planning and, money is not an issue, I would recommend that you choose a solicitors' practice that has a Private Client Department, i.e., specialists in Wills, Estate Tax Planning and Probate.

Solicitors do not treat wills as loss leaders. I’m sure anyone who has had a will prepared by a solicitor would agree with that. Although I am a retired solicitor I used a solicitor to write my will (and my husband’s). I already knew him to be very good. He wasn’t cheap but neither did I expect he would be. There was no suggestion of using him as executor.

Unfortunately many people don’t recognise that their estate is complex or that there are potential problems. This is particularly the case with ‘blended families’. Everyone whose estate might be subject to inheritance tax should obtain tax planning advice when their will is prepared. Use a solicitor!