If your personal admin list includes sorting your will, then September is wills month.  A simple will is not expensive.  It’s easy and saves your loved ones the added pressure of working out how to deal with your estate.

If you die intestate (without a will) your assets will be distributed in accordance with the law.  If you are married with children you might assume all your assets pass to your spouse and children but that is not necessarily the case.  The estate might go 1/3 to your spouse and 2/3 to your children.  If you have a will, it best ensures your wishes are carried out.

It’s simple to do.  We have a wills questionnaire form which we send to you.  E-mail me if you would like a copy.  You complete the form, return it to me and then I prepare your will for you.  You can come and meet me to discuss if you prefer.  Once the will is ready, you can come and see me to sign the will, or I can send it out to you to sign.  We prefer if you come in person only because there are still quite strict formalities around signing a will.  It would be a shame for the end result to be a will with questionable enforceability as it has not been signed properly.

There are other options for preparing wills but be aware that some providers of free wills require you to appoint them as executor.  There is no such thing as a free lunch after all.  The executor manages your estate once you pass.  You might prefer that job being performed by a family member or someone who does not charge as much.  Do it yourself wills kits appear simple but you may not truly achieve what you want – for example, if you have a trust then it’s necessary to consider how that fits into your estate planning.