Changing a will

[NotAgainWilson]

I had a will done by one of those companies that do wills for charity once a year. I don’t remember their details.

I am in the process of changing my will now that my child is an adult and I have split from my partner. The changes are just changing the name of the executor from my ex partner’s to my son’s and removing the percentage of money allocated to my ex if both DS and I passed away at the same time.

This appears easy to do directly by modifying it in the document and destroying the previous will but, not remembering the name of the company I used, I don’t know if there is a copy of the current will kept or registered elsewhere.

Does anyone know how can I go about invalidating the current will and ensuring the new one is the only available?

Thank you

You just create a new Will and destroy the old one. Tell your adult DC that you have a new Will. The Wills stored online wherever they are, are no use to anyone as they won’t be signed hard copies. We used Ten Minute Will Company online and they let you make free changes, after initial purchase.

Not to hijack the OPs thread, do other people think that's the best way to go? I want to change my will too which is very out of date. But I thought I'd use the old one as a basis for the new one - but is it easier to create a new one? And what happens to the old one? Are wills registered? I have no idea, and don't want it to be left to my kids to remember that there's a new one, though I'd keep a copy in my files.

I would write a new one and register it. A new will revokes all previous wills.

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/membership/offers/national-will-register

When I add up my “estate” it comes to quite a lot. I reason spending a couple of hundred pounds every 10+ years to make sure my will is correct and my money goes to who I want it to go to is worth the cost.

If you are careful and it’s just removing names and altering % then you can do it yourself.

You can register a will but you should know if your own will is registered. A new will would over ride one that is registered. My original is with my solicitor but not registered.

Thank you all. Now a second question, about executors. If you have no one close or diligent enough to act as an executor, how do you select/appoint one? Is this expensive? do their fees are covered from your estate on passing away? Do they charge a fixed fee or charge a percentage?

Thanks again.

Don't modify, start again. It will need to be re-signed / witnessed.

There is no national will repository which makes 'who is holding it' more complicated. There are some that exist, you would pay a fee to hold it there. At the end of the day though, if you have a more recent, properly signed and witnessed will, the old one is invalidated anyway so it's unlikely to be a problem if you don't destroy it.

Most firms of solicitors who have a wills and probate dept will happily be an executor but I would suggest making sure you use one that charges a fixed fee rather than a %. Local recommendation is the best way. It will usually cost several thousand pounds which seems a lot but the amount of aggravation you remove can be immense!

I agree with @Chewbecca

Go to a local firm of solicitors .
Make a fresh new will.
Wording in new will, states you revoke all former wills.
Solicitor will act as executor and secretary or clerk in office will witness it.

We've no kids and live abroad, so we appointed our Bank as our executor. They take a % from the estate when we die.