Making a will

[DistingusedSocialCommentator]

Have you used a solicitor or online free wills?
We used an online, free wills outfit - but thinking of updating it.

What is the point of using a solictor other than ensuring its watertight?

Ours is straightforward, ie 30% of the estate to one of our children. The other two get nothing and we will write this in the Will to ensure clarity

Our 6 GC, all three siblings have 2 children each and all sub 10 yrs of age will have an equal split of the remaining estate. We have cash and 3 properties all paid for.

IMO it is a simple and straightforward Will.

We are worried if we are lucky enough to leave most of the estate behind, the GC will be able to access their share at 18 and in our judgment there is always a big risk they could be easily led by a GF/BG/OH or a small chance just blowing it away.

All help is greatly appreciated.

Btw - the Will must be easy to revise as we may do that. Please, I do not want anything re how we are splitting etc but advice/help on as above and the bit about access at 18.

Thanks - posted in AIBU for traffic.

I'm going to bow out of this thread. In my job I've seen it time and time again where people have to come for help because they thought they'd done something successfully and sometimes years later it turns out they've done something wrong. I actually find it quite insulting that you seem to think Mumsnet and Google are substitutes for paid-for advice from professionals, especially considering you have such a vast estate according to your posts you'd think it would be sensible to pay for advice but you've already decided a maximum of £400 is all the advice is worth.

On your own head be it, OP. I see it day in and day out and the truth is you don't actually know what you don't know. And that's the bit that comes back to bite people in ass.

I concur

You have all that money and property why wouldn't you go to a solicitor for proper legal advice?

You could be setting your family for a right old time after you've gone if you don't do it properly.

If you read my previous posts I've clearly stated we will look into solicitors.
There have been plenty of helpful posts and a few I've not even bothered with.
I've also bent over backwards to explain why we have acted like this in the past.
I have also acknowledged the help and asked other questions, EG re Trusts/costs etc. - I know these can vary.

One FM found it "insulting" that I took to "Google and Mumsnet" - What they missed was that people like me don't just walk into solicitors and then pay them thousands as most seem to charge by the second. I like to be better prepared. Therefore along with my good mate, Google and some very helpful FM's here, I am in a more informed stance and better able to decide which solicitors I need as not all are experts in Will writing/advice/etc

Btw, I was already aware re 7 year rule for IHT, but thanks for those that rasied the point.

Ridiculous. Would you plumb your own bathroom? Do your own electrics? Do your own conveyancing when you sell your house? Solicitors and barristers in other fields don’t draft their own wills.