Do you have to go to a solicitor to do a will or would a home made one do?

[MilaMae]

How much do solicitor's charge?

Thanks

we did our own, but was many years ago with few assets and no kids.
Really need to do a new one, as now have kids and have split up.
No idea on solicitors charges.

Can't help with your exact question, but have you heard of "will aid"? Online, every now and then they do a donation only will so it works out as cheap as you want it to be. Keep meaning to do it. It was last on in November I think.

There is another will thead on go at moment where I have an example of how much dh charges.

Diy wills not a good idea for many reasons. Neither are will writer wills. Also mentioned on other thread.

On mobile at moment so cably do links but it is in active con at moment.

not always a good idea to do your own will although if you follow the rules set out in the Wills Act with regards to the witnessing of it etc it would be valid (ie it must not be witnessed by a beneficiary or spouse of beneficiary etc). However, you must be very careful when doing this so as to ensure everything is set out in it. If a simple straightforward will it can sometimes be ok but where you have dependant children and need to appoint guardians, set up trusts etc, you really do need to get it done professionally.

A while ago there was a thread on here and one poster's husband was a probate solicitor who apparently made more money from sorting out cock ups from home made wills than he did making them.

You could probably get mirror wills done for you and DH for a few hundred pounds. Money well spent I think for your peace of mind.

Wills are quite simple (providing you don't have large complicated estate, your own business or dependents from previous relationships). If none of these apply then I would say you can write your own very easily, you can buy a kit which tells you how to do it correctly. I know lots of people with very simple wills who have been charged ripped off hundreds of pounds by Solicitors when they could have written it themselves for a few pounds.

mumoverseas - that would hae been my DH

TBH for me it is a case of - get a professional to do it and to do it properly. A solicitor can doa will properly. DIY and will writer wills are generally very flawed and can cause no end of problems. For me I don't want to taake that risk.

Agree with Hulababy.

My cousin lost out on around £120K because her mum left a 'simple' 'homemade' will.

It's the one area (unless you're a murderer or something) when you actually NEED a solicitor.

I represented myself in the divorce courts, succesfully.

But you can't represent yourself when you are dead. It's a bloody minefield, and not expensive to get it sorted out properly.

agree with Hulababy and fossa.
All well and good to say wills are quite simple and you can do them yourself using the DIY kits from certain stationers. However, it isn't always that simple and I know that a few years ago there was a pretty fatal flaw in the instructions provided with some of these DIY will kits which rendered a lot of them void. Is it really worth taking the chance for few hundred pounds. A little bit of a sweeping statement to say solicitors rip people off for a few hundred pounds to prepare wills. Surely better to ensure your family/dependants are well provided for in the event of your death rather than them have the worry of finding out the home made will wasn't valid or wasn't drafted correctly?