Solicitor or will writer?

freewillsmonth.org.uk/

You could look at the above which is the free will writing months each year. The next is in October. You can see which solicitors are participating in your area.

We did a a mirror will- £90 each but that was before Covid

Solicitor for your will, we did POA online £84ish finance, £84ish for welfare sorry can’t remember correct terminology), solicitors would have been a lot more for POA- all straight forward.

We had our wills drawn up by a solicitor via the Free Wills Service offered by our favourite charity. All properly done, and even including a letter of intent as we don't want anyone trying to contest the wills after we are gone.

I have found a solicitor through the Law Society. Thanks to all for your recommendations.

Germanshepherdsmum

The charges of a good, highly qualified professional are not ‘a rip off’. I loathe that expression. As with everything in life, you get what you pay for.

I agree.
I’m fortunate, my latest will update, alongside LPA health and finances are being looked over by an excellent young solicitor who specialises in this area of law. Very fortunate I know her as she’s very distant extended family, no connection with my wishes or decisions but easier to talk over the one complex area with.
Yes I will pay her fee

The charges of a good, highly qualified professional are not ‘a rip off’. I loathe that expression. As with everything in life, you get what you pay for.

Damdee

£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?

Well, it may have been more. I don't remember the exact amount but it was less than £100. I put off making one because I thought it would be expensive so I shopped around.
As I sadi, I don't know how much they would charge were I to change it.
Also, it wasn't complicated and my estate is really quite small (and getting smaller!) I also live in a very low-cost part of the country.
Don't get ripped off. Shop around.

A solicitor would be far better than a will writer .

Solicitor every time. Wouldn’t even think of doing it without. When DH & I made our wills (which we thought were pretty straightforward) the solicitor came up with some very salient points that we hadn’t even considered. There’s a reason why they do it for a living.

At two points in my life I have been very grateful for solicitors' advice.
I have done 2 DIY wills at points when there were no complications.
I have done 2 wills with solicitors. Each time, the solicitor has taken something that I wanted to do, explained the complications and issues and asked me to go away, think about it and return to discuss. I have done so, and each time stuck with what I wanted, but with some conditions added, or at least in the full knowledge that I was taking a calculated risk.

I think you must have had your will written during the annual Wills Week (or whatever it’s called now). Some firms participate in this and write a simple will very cheaply. Charities also offer ‘free wills’ in the hope that they will be left some money.

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!

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.

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

£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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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).

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

Solicitor every time.

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.