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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Have you written a will?

120 replies

FangsForTheMemory · 11/04/2021 17:10

I mean a properly put together, signed and witnessed will, copy lodged with your solicitor? I'm asking because when I bought my first home, my mortgage broker gave me a very stern lecture about writing one, and I did it. However the number of people who don't write a will amazes me.

YABU = no I haven't written a will
YANBU = yes I have written a will

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 11/04/2021 17:16

Yes. Needs to be signed and witnessed though.

TeenMinusTests · 11/04/2021 17:16

Absolutely I have written a will. I'm on my 4th I think.

  1. when I bought a house
  2. when I got married
  3. when the DC came along
  4. to account for DC being older I will need a new one in around 3 years when my youngest becomes a legal adult.
MiniCooperLover · 11/04/2021 17:17

Yep. Both of us have mirror wills and guardians sorted for our son. I work for solicitors and the amount of disputes even with what looks a good will. Don't leave them open to interpretation or argument

the80sweregreat · 11/04/2021 17:18

Yes. I think they are important.

SpeckledyHen · 11/04/2021 17:20

Yes .First time when I was single and bought my first property . Again when married we had children.

sbhydrogen · 11/04/2021 17:21

It's been on my to-do list for a long time. I own a house, am not married and have 1.5 DC with my DP. I really need to just do it.

exexpat · 11/04/2021 17:23

Yes, I have had several over the years: the first was when DH & I bought our first place in our 20s, before we were married, and I am just waiting for the final print out of my latest one (updated now both DCs are technically adults).

DH died suddenly when the DCs were small. Dealing with all the finances and probate bureaucracy was awful, on top of everything else, but at least I didn't have to cope with the extra burden of intestacy laws (we were living overseas, would have been hugely complicated).

I think everyone should write a proper will and life insurance as soon as they have a partner and a property and/or children, if not earlier.

megletthesecond · 11/04/2021 17:24

Yes. Lone parent and a mortgage. I need to add letters to the dc's too, been putting that off.

fallfallfall · 11/04/2021 17:25

done but not until retirement. so we waited a long long time solely due to the cost.

Brainwave89 · 11/04/2021 17:26

Yes and everyone really should. Particularly cohabiting couples. I have seen this have dire consequences where a will is not in place. I would recommend the Co-Op will service which is thorough and not overly expensive.

nimbuscloud · 11/04/2021 17:27

Yes.

APurpleSquirrel · 11/04/2021 17:29

Yes, when we bought our house (in our early 30s) then updated when we had DC to include guardians.
It's shocking the amount of friends we have, married, own houses, have DC who don't have them tbh.

justwinginglife · 11/04/2021 17:29

Yes! We have a lot of equity in our house and 2 DC so I want to make sure that they are looked after if anything happens to us (not just financially but also who we wish to care for them if required etc)

jessstan2 · 11/04/2021 17:30

Yes I have made a will and am thinking of revising it/writing another since husband died.

bridgetreilly · 11/04/2021 17:32

Yes. I am also in the process of setting up power of attorney, in case something happens that leaves me incapacitated rather than dead.

Geranibum · 11/04/2021 17:34

I wrote mine when the kids were born, to specify a guardian for them, if the worst should happen. I will re-do it, and sort out powers of attorney etc, once they both turn 18, in a year or two.

twointhemorning · 11/04/2021 17:35

Yes, we are married and have mirror wills. We both have no children.

We had wills when we were cohabiting and bought a house together. Then a couple of weeks before we married, we went to a solicitor and wrote wills in contemplation of marriage. Think we signed these when we got back from honeymoon.

Sparklingbrook · 11/04/2021 17:35

Yes, with assets and children you would be mad no to. For the people left to sort your affairs it's the kind thing to do.

MsSquiz · 11/04/2021 17:37

I don't... and I need to get round to it. DH does (always has due to his family's wealth) and since we got married 4 years ago I keep meaning to. Then I had DD in 2019 and still haven't done it.

I'll start drafting it tonight, I know exactly what I want in it, but I know it becomes slightly more complicated with DH's money

Topseyt · 11/04/2021 17:38

Yes. Mirror wills.

BigPaperBag · 11/04/2021 17:40

Yes. I’m on my first and I got it when we purchased our home.

3GIANTSTRAWBERRIES · 11/04/2021 17:40

Yes, had a similar stern lecture from a financial advisor when we got our mortgage. We were so excited about our house and needed a stiff drink by the end of the meeting. It's so important though, I see why they do it. We only updated it to include the children years later after a friend's exdh died without a will and she had to help her young adult DC navigate the legalities. Horrible experience.

PegasusReturns · 11/04/2021 17:41

Yes.

Although not until I had four DC and a fairly complicated set of financial circumstances to navigate.

I’m a lawyer Blush

DinosaurDiana · 11/04/2021 17:41

Yes, had the house put so that I own 50% and hubby owns 50 % at the same time.

1990shopefulftm · 11/04/2021 17:42

Yes mirror wills naming a guardian for DS and even who gets our cat, dad died in his 30s without one so it was very important to be to get it sorted.