How do we go about writing a will?

[MadameCastafiore]

After reading things on here over the last few years I have been nagging DH to wite a will incase anything happens to him or us!

I have nothing of my own really due to XH and horrid divorce and not working so we need to sort out a will for DH in the unlikely event that he trips off this mortal coil.

SO do we get one of those home pack things and do it like that? Do we get a specialist company to do it or do we just speak to a regular solicitor.

We don't have millions - just the house and enough to get by on quite comfortably and some shares (which are worth sod all now!) so it won't be a huge complicated thing.

Any advice much appreciated.

i'd talk to someone like hulababy's husband, he is a probate solicitor and very good, he has done wills for other mumsnetters and when we redid ours with him he made us think about a couple of things we had forgotten.

He also says he makes more money from sorting out the mess of home made wills than he does from writing a bespoke will in the first place.

The most important thing is to make arrangements for who will have your DC in the event of you both dying at the same time - vile, but think car crashes, for instance. You will want to name guardians, and probably put everything in trust for the children in this eventuality. So I don't think I'd trust to a home pack.

We used the Co-operative Bank Legal Services which is a sort of half-way house between a home pack and a solicitor. They go through it all on the phone with you, ask you all the questions, and then post you the drafts.

You should use a proper solicitor - not DIY and not will writer. It generally saves you (or rather your estate) money in the long run, and you have peace of mind that should the worst happen at least your loved ones will have one less thing to worry about and be hassled by.

Please look into using a proper, qualifed and experienced solicitor. A solicitor will thing of things to consider you would never come up with on your own.

Also bear in mind that although you can nominate guardianship this is not legally binding even in a will.

Right thanks guys - looks like we will have to find a solicitor and do this properly.

My biggest fear is that if DH and I both go at the same time or I go and DH doesn't that my XH, DDs dad, will want custody of her and she and DS will not grow up together.

I also don't want DS meeting any of my family - well parents and half siblings as they have had nothing to do with him so far and I think any input they have would be very damaging - they see him as a little bastard apparently as I had him before marriage and with DH who they loathe!

I think maybe my aunt and uncle would bring up the kids - or at least DS and then DD would have contact with him as XH does see my uncle sometimes and I think would agree to them having DD some of the time so she keeps a relationship of sorts with her brother.

Good luck with finding a solicitor You could aks other people for recommendations or contact the Law Society (also online) for suitable solicitiors near you.

Bear in mind that you also don't necessarily need a solicitor in your area - many will do will instructions by telephone and email contact too.

If finances are an issue you could also look online to try and find out when will week is.

Thanks Hulababy.

Will Week?

Is that something I should know about?

Will Week is where certain participating solicitor's firms will do simple wills for free. The idea is during that time instead of paying for your will you contribute the money to charity, although this is entirely voluntary.

This only happens for one week a year (or every two years???)

Where abouts are you?

Will Week in Greater Manchester is 2-6 March 2009

I can't find anything about Ntional Will Week for 2009 on furst google though. I know DH's frm don't do it so doubt he can advise when it would be.

the week is called will aid wills

we did our first wills through willaid then through Hula's hubby, can throughly recommend him.

Hula can you please post your DH's email address so I can contact him?
Thanks