We need wills.

[HowManyMoreTimes]

DH and I have a (mortgaged) house and 2 DDs. We are stupidly overdue in organising wills and provision/guardians for our children.

Should this be a straightforward process? Is it possible to 'do it ourselves' (finances are quite tight) or is it imperative to get them done professionally. (I'm sure that would be preferable, but how much difference does it make?)

Any suggestions on how to choose a solicitor? Anything particular to look for? I'm supposed to be a grown-up, but I'm feeling pretty clueless at the moment!

[HowManyMoreTimes]

Just to add, I'm aware we've been really stupid not organising this earlier, but at least we're on it now! Does anyone have an idea of the cost of 2 wills which will be the the same? We don't have any assets apart from the house. Biggest concern obviously is the children.

[GlitteryFluff]

Bumping for you as we need to sort wills t

[GlitteryFluff]

Too*

[SecretSpy]

You can use a solicitor or will writer.

There's a MNER with a ad in the classifieds for Marlow Wills and prices are reasonable iirc.

However I can't talk, we are also married, mortgaged, with two primary aged kids and no will sorted. Every time we discuss guardians for the children we grind to a halt.

[LifeIsChaos]

I need one sorted too. But like OP I don't have the cash available to pay out.

Would a handwritten one do the job?

[AnyoneButAndre]

Everyone recommends Mumblechum at Marlow Wills, She's very good and reasonably priced (not speaking from personal recommendation because I have legal training and did my own, but I've never heard a bad word against her).

Bear in mind that statistically speaking the chances of both of you dying together are minute, so guardianship is much much less likely to be an issue that anything else in your will. Don't let uncertainty over the perfect guardian get in the way of getting everything else sorted - you can always add guardianship wishes as a codicil later. This goes double for anyone who is cohabiting unmarried. Also, guardianship wishes in your will are persuasive but not legally binding - a child is not your property to dispose of as you wish, so conversations with all the interested parties to get them on side (if possible) are more important than what's on paper.

[originalmavis]

Don't forget your powers of attorney. Your spouse does not have as many rights as you think if you become incapacitated.

[AnyoneButAndre]

Minimum cost for 2 professionally written mirror wills is about 150 quid, either through Marlow Wills or the Will Aid charity scheme.

If you absolutely definitely don't have that money available, and if you don't have a complicated step-family/overseas set-up, and if you are confident of your ability to read your way around some fairly complicated legal text and find witnesses, then a form from WH Smith is infinitely better than nothing at all, and far easier and probably better than doing it yourself. (But do prioritise getting a lawyer to do a professional version when you do have the money - you should rethink about wills every couple of years or whenever you have life changes anyway.)

[OneThingAndThenTheNext]

mumblechum from Marlow Wills did ours, after recommendations from MN. She was great, did them quickly after I gave her quite vague instructions and reasonably priced. Highly recommend!

[originalmavis]

There are some online ones who charge buttons. If you use one of these (for a simple Will) make sure they don't automatically name themselves as executor (ie will sort out probate as a % of the estate fee), unles you want them to be of course.

[mumblechum1]

for the very kind recommendations.

I have a paid for advert over on Classifieds for anyone interested

[HowManyMoreTimes]

Thanks for the advice everyone, Mumblechum is obviously the way to go!

[mumblechum1]