Making a will

[SupremeCommanderServalan]

Having recently dealt with my mum's will as her executor, which should have been straightforward but ended up being a massive pain due to greedy family members, I realise that now is the time to sort my own affairs out.

I'm married with adult children, so I think any will 'should' also be straightforward, however, once bitten.

I'm tempted to go down the route of the WH Smiths type of package (I live in England if that helps), but want to be 100% that it will stand as a legal doc. Or is it actually worth the extra ££ to get it all done with a solicitor?

Any experience that people can share please to sway me one way or the other?

I would recommend Marlow Wills.

Mumblechum is a poster on her for decades, doesn't charge VAT, on-line &/or by phone will discuss everything with you and help you plan and think you all eventualities.

That's great, thanks for the response. I've just had a look at an online will making service, and realised one of the main reasons I keep putting this off is because I'm not sure about what I want!

She will help you discuss all that so you know what you want.

Since I made my will I have told my executor to phone around the solicitors and hand the whole nightmare over to them!

I've had Marlow Wills recently due to changing family circumstances, absolutely recommend them.

I thought it would be straight forward, but there were a couple of scenarios we hadnt considered (remarriage) and the advisor made it really clear we would need a new will drawn up if this were to happen. WH Smith doesnt give you the guidance.

I'm sure a WHS or Oyez form and notes do for most people but there are bear traps around (eg) 'Common Law' marriage - English Common Law recognises no such thing - and IHT measures which are in potentially in play for most English homeowners.

MAy be worth a few hundred quid on professional advice to make sure that what you want is (a) possible and (b) is achievable without your beneficiaries being screwed over unnecessarily by HMG.

I have also used Marlow Wills, really reasonably priced for professional advice.

Have a think around some scenarios and what you would prefer.

What if (tragically) one or both of your children predecease you? What happens to their inheritance?

Do you want to leave your estate direct to your kids, or your DH? If you own your house ‘ in common’ rather than ‘jointly’ do you want to leave your share to your Dc? In which case do you want to leave a life interest to your DH?

(Call my a cynic but I have seen too many widowers take up with a new younger wife who inherits everything from him, disinheriting the Dc).

Do you want to get POA sorted at the same time?

It was the stuff about predeceasing that made me pause previously, as well as needing to spell out what I want to happen with my share of the house which is a joint asset with DH.

I have contacted Marlow Wills, so one way or another will get my will sorted this year (finally).

Good stuff. I found the process very simple and efficient with Marlow, and I had a limited company to consider as well.

@SupremeCommanderServalan I need to do this too for the same reason. Currently everything goes to DH, hopefully I've put him off ever putting up with another woman let alone remarrying if I go first but I do want to protect my share for the DC seem too many friends excluded by stepmums acquired after their Mums death.

@SupremeCommanderServalan check how your house is owned between you. You can own as ‘Joint Tenants’ or as ‘Tenants In Common’. As joint tenants the survivor automatically becomes the sole owner when one party dies. As Tenants In Common you each separately own your share (which might be 50% or any other %, depending on the agreement) and can leave your share directly to any beneficiary you choose. So it will inform your Will decisions.

Not sure if you can change from one to another but I dare say there is a MNer who knows.