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Making a will..................

8 replies

Aero · 27/10/2005 16:37

Dh and I have na appointment with a solicitor tomorrow to finally make a will. My head is a total jumble, but with the recent death of a good friend, it's somehow made us very aware of the fact that we really should have one - a reality check if you like. How on earth do you decide who will look after your children if something happens to both of you though. In our case my family are in NI, but the children's whole lives are here. My brother has already agreed to have them in such circumstances, but I wonder if I should perhaps have asked good friends who live locally. Would a total upheaval be too much for them should the situation ever arise? My heart tells me they'd probably need to be with family though. What have other mners done with their wills?
Also, is dh's pension part of our 'estate'? I assume so, so how do you ever find out how much you're worth? The first thing the secretary asked me was if our estate would be worth more than £275,000? Well perhaps £180,000 for the house, but no idea about anything else. Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhh - help!!!

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ninah · 27/10/2005 17:32

I'd write a list of all your assets and let the solicitor sort out from there. If you have a comprehensive list will save time during appointment.
I've asked my sister to take on the children if anything happens to me, feel family IS best, really ..

Aero · 27/10/2005 17:48

Think I feel the same at heart regarding family tbh. I feel they will want to take care of our children more.
I guess our assets would be the house, car, and any savings we have etc. No family heirlooms worth a fortune or expensive jewellery hanging around that I can think of.....
Does anyone know what happens regarding our home should the event of both of us going at the same time ever happen? Would it be sold and the money (minus any costs I guess) put into trust for when the kids are old enough?

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Aero · 27/10/2005 19:57

bump

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Aero · 27/10/2005 22:09

Just out of interest, how many of us have/haven't made wills. Am I in a minority by only getting around to it now. We've thought about it for ages, just never got around to it for one reason or another - mainly because we hadn't the money to pay a solicitor!!

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Hulababy · 27/10/2005 22:12

It is will week this week and they did a survey - it is a very scary high percentage of people who do not have a will.

Your solicitor will have a list of things to ask you - nothing will be forgotton.

Aero · 27/10/2005 22:16

Thanks Hula - I know your dh does this for a living - . I had no idea it was 'will week', or that there was such a thing. I guess just sorting it all out in our own heads is what's troubling me and the thought that no-one could ever look after the dc in the way that we do and facing the possibility that that could ever happen is scary. By not making one before I guess it was a way of not considering that it could iyswim. Am I making sense at all.
At least we have a friend who has agreed to be executor for us.

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Hulababy · 27/10/2005 22:24

You are in a minority, but it is very important. DH's article (linked to in the legal/money forum) gives lots of reasons why! I know it seems a lot of pay out, but will be worth it when it is finally used.

Many solicitors will suggest you having two executors, and often (not always - depends of your circumstances) will suggest one from your family and one from DH's family.

Consider guardianship - not legally binding, but does put your wished forward which is useful if it comes to a court of law decision.

And consider what you want to happen in different circumstances:

  • if you go first
  • if DH goes first
  • if you go together (eldest is deemed to have died first IIRR)
  • if (horrid as it is to imagine) your DC pass away before you or DH - who does your estate go to then

etc.

As I said your solicitor should discuss all this with you.

Aero · 27/10/2005 22:27

Thanks Hula - that's helpful and reassuring.

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