Solicitors and wills - help

[NouNou]

Help. have a complicated family set up now with new baby. need to make a will and would like to know of any good/helpful, pref. female, solicitors, to handle affairs. Any recommendations. North London Mother

Ours were done by a friend (dd's godfather) at Winstanley Burgess on City Road, in Islington.

I thought there was a scheme called Will Aid whereby various charities&/0r solicitors would help you to do will, at reasonable cost (and in the hope that you might leave them something). Sorry about being so vague, but might be worth a look on the Net.

Thanks slug and gumdrop. I'll be following these up.

I think I'm right in saying that Amicus (the trade union for technical/skilled workers among others) offers a free will writing service to members.

Most trade unions/professional bodies do. Worth checking out before parting with cash.

We called the Law Society (I think) and asked for a list of solicitors specialising in wills and family law in our area. They usually offer a package deal of 1 or 2 consultations plus drawing up the will itself for a fixed sum of about £150. It seems a worthwhile expense and the person we saw gave us what felt to be very sound advice.

Until you draw up your will, it might be worth drawing up a pair of wills that state that in the case of dear other half dieing, you each inherit the whole of the other's estate. That will prevent a large chunk of your estate being locked up in a trust for the child, which is what would happen were you to die without wills.

We did a will ages ago in London where they came round to your house and you got a will fully word processed for about £60. However once we moved and the kids got older and the need for legally appointed guardians reared its contraversial head, we went to another lawyer through personal recommendation and I have to say got a much better service. Sometimes you have to pay a little more for quality advice and guidance.

For example, it's no good putting in your will that you want to be dressed in a little off the shoulder armani outfit, surrounded by apricot silk daffodils and sent off to the strains of Barry White (my fave!) because the will is usually read AFTER your big exit and it will be too late then!

Also, they suggested we might want to write each child a personal message to be kept separate from the will, particularly when the children are small because that may be all they have from you, if you die young.

And finally - dont forget the dog or cat or whatever - if you die what will happen to them - RSCPA, put down, stay with Aunty Lil? You need to make unpleasant decisions, and the apricot silk is the easiest!!

It's worth having a really good think about what you want BEFORE calling in the lawyers. Every minute is charged for (unless you get mates rates like we did).

When I was in PC world yesterday, I noticed a will writing software package, price c £20, looked perfectly easy to do your own straightforward will.

You don't even need to buy a package, you can get blueprints on the internet. I've been meaning to make a will since ds was born 4 years ago. I resent paying a solicitor for something so straightforward so once a year I get a DIY Will book from the library and make notes but still haven't actually got round to writing one...For me the main concern is to put down who would be the children's guardians should anything happen to us both.