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Original poster

Can we write our own wills?

27 replies

VanillaMilkshake · 08/11/2006 17:46

DH and I need to arrange our wills, but have little time and even less cash when it comes to this. Can we write them ourselves on the computer and get a friends to sign them as witness?

OP posts:
throckenholt · 08/11/2006 17:52

Check with local solicitor - I think this month is will month- where they doit for free and you give a donation to charity.

throckenholt · 08/11/2006 17:53

meant to say - you write the gist of it - and then the solicitor writes it i legalese and points out relevant ammendments.

ProfYaffle · 08/11/2006 17:54

You can also buy a diy will kit in W H Smith for £15

CorrieDale · 08/11/2006 17:55

Yes, you can. But if you have children under 18, then it's a bit more complicated so if you can't raise the £50 for a solicitor, then you should try and get a book on it - perhaps from the library? If you don't have children, then the really important thing to remember is that a beneficiary cannot witness your signature.

LadyMuck · 08/11/2006 17:56

Homemade ones are generally the ones which end up in court. Would avoid like the plague. But yes, they can be valid, which is usually the cause of many headaches - the wording has to be very precise and using correct terminology.

Will Aid on the other hand is fantastic.

Judy1234 · 08/11/2006 18:05

You can get them free I think once year in write a will week as long as you leave a small bequest to charity. My sister did that and it's done by a lawyer. I would do it that way.

hulababy · 08/11/2006 18:14

You can but I wouldn't! DIY wills, including the ones you can get from post offices, etc and sadly also made of the will wiriting companies, are notorious for causing more trouble than they are worth when they come into play. DH makes a lot more money from sorting out such wills gone wrong than he does from writing a decent will in the first place.

However, will week is a good way of getting a cheap will. I think it might have already happened for this year. It is sponsered by a charity and the idea is to encourage people to leave a percentage to the charity, but this is in no way pushed or compulsary. Not all firms do will week though, so you need to look around.

TheBlonde · 08/11/2006 18:16

If you are doing a very simple everything to one person then a DIY will can work

If it's more complex then better to use a pro

hulababy · 08/11/2006 18:26

TBH if it is very simple, then no will at all is better than a DIY one.

foxinsocks · 08/11/2006 18:29

there used to be a link to someone on here (is it still around)?

I used whoever that was - they were great - I did it all through the post (filling in forms etc.) and it was all done quickly and didn't cost very much (we did joint wills).

Pruni · 08/11/2006 18:31

Message withdrawn

hulababy · 08/11/2006 18:34

foxinsocks - that was my DH I believe There was an article on here by him somewhere from the home page.

foxinsocks · 08/11/2006 18:47

aah hula

he was lovely and ever so patient with us

Original poster
VanillaMilkshake · 08/11/2006 19:56

Thanks everyone, Dh and I basically want to leave everything to each other, and in the event we both pas away at the same time everything to the DC's held in trust by a family member until the youngest is 21. Hoped it would be that easy to just write that - obviously not! Will get some books from the library and find out when will week is.

OP posts:
hulababy · 08/11/2006 19:58

If you want a trust writing you definitely need a proper will written by a solicitor who specialises in this area of law.

foxinsocks - pleased to hear it

Original poster
VanillaMilkshake · 08/11/2006 20:12

This is why I need to do this. When I say trust I mean someone else to oversee things...is this the same? Oh OK you've convinced me, need to find a reasonably priced solicitor who can help.

OP posts:
hulababy · 08/11/2006 20:23

I'd definitely say you need a solicitor.

Look at the Law Society website - they can tell you local solicitors firms who can hep you. I would recommend a solicitor who speciliases in wills, probate, and tax/trusts (sometimes called private client as well) rather than a general practise lawyer.

lemonaid · 08/11/2006 20:24

Your bank may offer a cheap willwriting service too if you're doing something standard like that -- ours did.

Original poster
VanillaMilkshake · 08/11/2006 20:25

Thanx Hula

Gonna ask IL's for money towards a will for Christmas. Heaven knows they're always complaining we never use whatever it is they give us!

OP posts:
throckenholt · 09/11/2006 07:41

found it :

For the month of November, nearly 2,000 solicitors throughout the UK are offering to waive their fee to draw up a will in return for a donation to charity.

More information about Will Aid can be found on its website

throckenholt · 09/11/2006 07:59

everything to the DC's held in trust by a family member until the youngest is 21

you need to think about whoever is going to take on your kids - if all the estate is tied up in trust until they are 21 - then who pays for them until they are 21 ? Who provides a roof over their head.

Eg - we have 3 kids - that is a big commitment for anyone to take on - may need a bigger house, probably a car etc. We thought it only fair that our estate should be available for that use - so we put that in at the discretion of 3 trusted Trustees - some of whom were not the protential guardians.

Radley · 09/11/2006 08:06

I've just looked at the site and they are suggesting a donation of £75.00

ellenrosethenotsosecretpirate · 09/11/2006 08:09

Just noticed that too. How much does it normally cost for a standard will/joint wills?

Original poster
VanillaMilkshake · 09/11/2006 08:14

Found a local firm of family solicitors who will write a joint will for £49, am going to look into that as soon as DC 2 arrives!

OP posts:
throckenholt · 09/11/2006 08:14

I think our joint wills with a local solicitor in 2005 was something like £130-140.