Share your thoughts on Wills with Which? Win £300 voucher or free Will! NOW CLOSED

[RebeccaEMumsnet]

Writing a Will is something that many of us put off, as it’s never a nice subject to talk about and the process can seem confusing, but Which? Wills is hoping to change all that with their online Will writing and Power of Attorney service.

They would love to hear your experience of how you got your Will sorted, or, if you haven’t got around to it yet, what’s putting you off? It would be great to hear your stories of how you decided how you would write your Will, and your tips to those who have yet to do it.

Here’s what Alex Neil, at Which? has to say: "It's important to make a will to ensure that your assets, including your home, savings and belongings, are distributed according to your wishes. It can be very difficult for loved ones to do this if you pass away without having made a will.”

Did the birth of your DCs prompt you to write your Will? Do you think that it’s important to have a Will as a parent, and if so, why?

Whatever your experience (or lack of experience!) of Will writing, we’d love to hear your story so that other Mumsnetters can take advice.

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw, and one MNer will win either a £300 Love2Shop voucher or a free Which? Will Writing Service (T&Cs below).

Thanks,

MNHQ
Standard Insight T&Cs apply
Which? Wills prize T&Cs

[cluckyhen]

My husband has a will as he is a soldier and it's a must before they go on tour - although 16 years down the line we have just discovered that 3 of the updated Will's have never been filed and if something had happened everything would have gone to his mother. I on the other hand don't have one. I have no family outside that of my husband and children and I have no assets as I have been busy bringing up the children and moving around with my husbands career. My children are now of an age where they can speak for themselves should something happen to both of us - and as my husbands family have only seen the children a handful of times I think the only thing they would do would be to try and take what we have built up, not look out for the children (it's rare they remember birthdays etc).

I do think for 'normal' families it is a must though to ensure the care of your children and assests - I saw what happened after my grandparents diedn and I would hate my children to become that shallow.

[glenka]

This is something that we really need to seriously think about. It is very important but something we just keep putting off,

[finleypop]

Making a will should be easier. I have looked into it, but got overwhelmed with the options. I have little in the way of assets & my will would be straight forward, everything to my husband & son, so I don't feel it should cost the earth to do this

[silviam]

It's a relief to have done a will, I feel that the future of my kids it's a tiny bit safer now.

[IonaAilidh11]

its the most important thing you can do for peace of mind for yourself and your family

[winterpark]

I haven't made a will yet, I would like to but don't know how or where.

[Badders123]

Can I also suggest those who havent yet....
Put a few ideas down on Paper wrt your thoughts and wishes about your funeral?
I know....I know....not a nice thing to think about BUT one of the hardest things I found d when my dad died was what sort of funeral to have...church? hymns? Readings? Cremation? Woodland burial?
Alongside my will I have a printed sheet with my wishes stsated. I hope it makes it easier for my kids when the time comes.

[planepointer]

We haven't got round to it but I know we should. I think it's one of those things you don't really like to think about so you put it off.

[libra101]

We wrote a will several years ago, though feel that now our children are becoming older it should be updated.

Although expensive to have officially drawn up, I feel that having a current will, witnessed and signed, is a priority. No-one knows what their circumstances may be when they have passed away, and it's vital that their wishes are officially documented, and any assets are distributed fairly.

People marry and divorce, families become blended with children of both partners, and when people re-marry, I believe that any previous will is revoked, and the current spouse automatically inherits any assets of their partner.

I feel that having a will correctly drawn up is a necessity in our ever-changing world.

[KAKADU2001]

A will is a must and at the time of a death it can alleviate some of the stress in relation to sorting out assets.

[lindagreenwood]

I need to sort a new will but my husband and i will disagree on the share that his 2 and my 1 child get

[PositiveAttitude]

We really need to sort a will. We have known for years that we need to, but just have not got round to it.

My parents were really organised and had theirs sorted, but then so much has changed now and they are incapable of changing it, so I can see a mess on the horizon when the inevitable happens to them. It seems you need to update regularly, perhaps that should be included in a Will Writing Package - otherwise it just gets put off again and again until it is too late.

[PetraDelphiki]

For those overwhelmed by options try thinking about these scenarios:

You die before dp but kids survive
You and kids die (at same time) before dp
You and dp dies at same time but kids survive
You all die

I know its morbid to think of but this is what your will needs to allow for. Write what you want to happen clearly and don't worry if people are cross afterwards - you won't be around to care!

Question for lawyers though...if someone did write their own will (getting it properly witnessed etc) and it was challenged, would the absence of a lawyer doing it make any difference?

[PetraDelphiki]

Oh and if you and your dp disagree on shares talk to a lawyer about how you can leave your assets how you want (go to tenants in common for example) without his agreement. otherwise you run the risk in the future of your child getting nothing....

[gingeroots]

It doesn't matter a jot about the will if you have dodgy excutors .

They can do what they like and then it'll be up to the beneficiaries to pay expensive legal costs to try and bring them to book .

Breaking up the family while doing so .

[forkhandles4candles]

I really really need to do this, but it is a question of time. Just keep putting it off. Still, thanks for reminding me again. I would hate to not have this all sorted and leave my children problems. I nearly arranged a solicitor's meeting, when we got our last mortgage, but put it off again.

[lizd31]

It's very important to make a will especially if you have children to make sure that the right people will have responsibility for them should anything happen to both parents. It's important for everyone to avoid family disputes. My Uncle died recently & he hadn't made a will. He only had one son but he had disowned him many years before as he was an alcoholic, heroin addict armed robber who had been in & out of prison most of his life & who stole from his Dad numerous times. When my Uncle died we knew he didn't want him to have anything but he hadn't made a will that we could find so everything went to him which was really upsetting knowing my Uncle would have wanted it to go to my Dad & my Aunty. There were family heirlooms which he will just pawn away for his addiction which is very sad

[janeyf1]

It is something I am increasingly conscious of that I need to prepare a Will, but haven't started yet

[littlemonkeyz]

We need to do a Will but as always it is a matter of money and time and it always seems to get put at the bottom of the pile so to speak.

[hiddenmichelle]

The major thing for me is the peace of mind regarding guardianship of my children - do it and then don't think about it!

[gingeroots]

Both my parents wills carried emotionally loaded actions - one having a "dig" at individuals and the other omitting a child altogether .Even who you appoint as executor can target a bullet of meaning landing after your death .So be very very careful .IMO wills shouldn't be used to settle old scores .

What pushed me to make a will was experience of dealing with mother's will and ,more importantly ,having a personal recommendation for a will writer who came to our house and who quoted a price - £ 200 .

[tabbaz123]

I think watching my parents go through so much hassle with the death of my grandparents - knowing how difficult things are if there is no will Made me decide to do mine as I do not want any problems for my husband or children x

[rhinosuze]

I've never made one yet which I know is wrong as its actually very important, particularly when you are a parent or spouse. I think when you have a child you really should do it to ensure their guardianship and protect your assets for them. I'm glad this topic has come up to spur me into action

[gingeroots]

Just to say that both my parents did DIY wills . I've remarked on the emotional content above .I think usiing a solicitor might have avoided this but it wouldn't have made them more "legal" .There was no problem with the format .

If your circumstances are simple ( and I know the professionals will probably argue that there is no such thing ) don't be worried about doing your own - using a template .

[simone12345]

we all need to make a will just so you know your items are going to the people you want them to go to no mix ups if its the on paper so yes l do beg everyone to get themselfs sorted out a very long time before anythink happens as you just never know when your numbers up yes we all get a 6 foot space rich or poor and no you cant take it with you so its no good being the richest person in the graveyard we all get the same space in heaven so god bless get sorted