Is it better to have solicitor write your will

[Chinyreckon]

Looking to get my financial affairs in order. I need a will. I want this done professionally.

is there any benefit of having this done via a solicitor rather than a professional will writer? I’m thinking solicitors firms seem more solid (less likely to disapper overnight etc) but professional will writers are much cheaper. Any thoughts?

Will writers are not regulated, trained and insured in the same way as solicitors. If you want it done properly see a STEP qualified solicitor. If your children are adult and there is no chance of inheritance tax being due, a will writer MAY suffice. If there are young or vulnerable beneficiaries you need to consider trusts. Also are you married? Should your spouse inherit directly? They can then leave to whoever they choose (new spouse?) and not necessarily your children. When will the children be responsible enough to receive the funds 18? 21? What if they have problems with drugs/ divorce/ debt at this time? Trusts can be used to protect the funds and ensure they are only available at a suitable time. Are your own children set up in life already and likely to have their own IHT liability? Trusts can help avoid the funds being taxed twice. Are there any assets that could qualify for IHT relief? Are you on the threshold of IHT being due? A solicitor can advise how to minimise IhT.

Also with will writers be wary of ongoing storage costs for wills (sols tend not to charge this and they add up over the years) and watch out for being encouraged to appoint them as executor and % estate admin fees. If you appoint a relative rather than a professional they can still instruct solicitors to act but can shop around and are not tied to potentially high fees with the firm who prepared the Will.

Definitely recommend a solicitor, and as said above, preferably a STEP practitioner. I've been an accountant for over 40 years and seen the carnage arising from "home made" wills or those done by some shoddy so-called professional will-writers. Of course, some "will writers" will be competent and do it properly, but sadly, a lot aren't, and yes, some do "disappear" never to be seen again with no come back in later years when problems come to light, whereas a proper firm of solicitors have to have "continuity" and run-off insurance etc. That's not to say proper solicitors don't make mistakes, but you usually have better recourse if they do!

Thank you for your responses, yes my gut says go with a solicitor. I will be looking to leave some money in trust so thanks 2mumsynet for the things to consider.

It depends.

do you want to do something complex like a trust? If not, no.

Yes dear god yes. If only because if they mess it up your beneficiaries can sue them.

We used Which for our will. It's really easy to do online, then it's checked by a solicitor who makes suggestions if things need to be amended. It's then printed and bound and sent to you to be signed and witnessed and you register it on the will registry website.

I've seen several disputed wills where signing and witnessing have been challenged because they weren't done in front of a solicitor (or other independent professional). Such as where the witness has been a beneficiary or, upon challenge, a witness has not been located and their genuine existence couldn't be proven. Not to mention where someone has simply forgotten to sign it or forgotten to get witnesses to sign, etc. Signing in front of the solicitor and getting the solicitor and a solicitor's clerk to witness helps stop any such challenges in their tracks. It also gives the deceased a "witness" that they were of sound mind etc when they signed it.

A solicitor gave me some great advice when we went to write our wills, it ultimately saved me a few thousand £

I wholeheartedly recommend Marlow Wills. Run by a MNer who is a solicitor not a ‘Will write’ but only does wills (and will sort out your equally important LPAs)

Efficient, helpful and much cheaper than other professionals we approached