Wills - who did you use?

[solice84]

How did you decide which company to draw up your will ?
Feeling a bit overwhelmed
Did you go with one of the big franchises or a local solicitor?
Any to avoid ?

I would only use a solicitor.

You can also get wills done via a charity. Think McMillan advertise often

Why though? Can anyone explain why MacMillan or Marie Curie, any of a number of charities wouldn't be fine?

Free Wills month is all very well for straightforward Wills @Theyhadalovelytime , but if you have substantial assets and need advice on potential inheritance tax issues, or you have a complicated family set-up, property or land that needs to be divided up in a particular way to avoid unpleasant and expensive disputes and / or huge tax bills, it’s wise to instruct a solicitor who is an expert in wills, tax and trusts, who knows the law inside out. Your Will is an important document, and drafting one requires a lot of thought and skill and should be done by an expert whose reputation you can trust. If I were in that situation, I wouldn’t take the risk (or the piss) by expecting someone to provide me with that level of service for free, or a small donation, or even a legacy - legacies can fail when financial circumstances change.

Most people's finances and circumstances aren't that complicated, in which case take advantage of charities' free will-drafting offers (yes, you might have to promise £100 to the charity or whatever...). Mine done my a high street solicitor for about £150.

Most recommendations for wills through charities are for unregulated will writer companies. Some of the will writer companies are unscrupulous in that they often upsell complicated products along so for example they quote for will, but then they suggest POAs, changing the house ownership, trusts which may not be needed. A solicitor is regulated. Not all will writing companies are bad but anyone can call themselves a will writer. Google warnings over unregulated will writing companies.

My dad used Salvation Army will writing free service and no issues at all

We used Marlow Wills https://www.marlowwills.co.uk

Run by a well respected longstanding MNer

She is a qualified solicitor but specialises in Wills (lots of Will Writers do not have full legal qualifications ), deals with complexities, sorts it out in detailed phone conversations, charges a third of what some solicitors quoted is. Did a great job. With a discount ‘all in’ price for sorting LPA at the same time.

Our wills were straightforward but they brought up questions that we hadn't even considered.

Bear in mind that nominating somebody to care for your child doesn't mean it will actually happen. I've seen the fallout when it didn't happen.

I'm sorry but this really does come across as spam. Reported.

This
dont use an on line solicitors company . Just don’t. I was badly bitten in using on lime solicitors in terms of time and service,

WHICH also do a service - take a look at that.

don’t forget to do LPOA- especially as single parent. And for you, as parent, I’d also do a few expression of wishes around how you’d like kids to be raised if (god forbid) something happened. This isn’t legal stuff which is in will , you reference a expression of wishes in your LPOA , and it provides guidance to your kids guardian on stuff like what you’d like them to do, types of schooling etc .

My late DM used a solicitor for her will, when she passed away the process was easy as they held the original copy, it was in pristine condition ( probable state no damage at all to the will). From me sending it in to probate being granted was 7 days. I could be wrong but I think the fact that the will was drawn up properly was a massive factor.

Those are generally using solicitors who they partner with. It's just getting them through a slightly different route.