Solicitor as trustee in will?

[Nutellanjam]

Hi, I’m about to write a will. My wife and son do not get on and I’m wondering what to to do in case of a disagreement between them about my wishes. Should I make another trustee to ultimately decide? Should this be a solicitor? Thanks in advance

Name your trusted solicitor as the sole executor of your will. Yes, it costs money, but if your family don't get on, it's the best option to ensure your wishes are met. It's what OH and I have done.

Isn't it a bit tricky because your wife will get all your joint assets anyway?

Op, maybe you need to give more information to allow a full answer.

Is your wife the mum of your son, it sounds not? How do you plan to structure your will, do you have joint assets with your wife as Hipho alludes to, maybe not?

You talk about a trustee, but maybe you mean executor - as others have said, then using the solicitor as executor will mean no one can disagree about your wishes.

If your DS is under 18 and you need a trustee to manage his money, could you appoint another relative to do that, rather than the solicitor. The latter could take a good chunk of the trust in managing it, depending on the age of the child.

With your will, you have the option of just leaving your solely owned assets either directly or via a discretionary trust to any beneficiaries. Our solicitor charged £1000 to set up a trust for a family member with a history of serious debt plus about £200 per annum fees; we think it’s ok. Another option is a lifetime trust which enables money to be placed into the trust while you’re live and kicking to get a feel of how the thing operates in practical terms. You can just put an nominal sum of £10 in to set it up. Good luck!