A New Year’s Resolution – Make a Will

Happy New Year everyone!  If you’ve made your new year’s resolutions, I’ll wager finally making those Wills you’ve always put off, does not feature, but now is as good a time as any to think about such things.

Making a Will allows you to leave clear instructions about how your estate is to be distributed, choosing those who are to receive from you and those you want to administer that all for you (your executors).  Most importantly, perhaps, you take control for your loved ones.

According to one source, it has been suggested that more than half of parents in the UK with children under 18 have not made a Will.  A Will can be used to nominate who should look after your children if the worst happens to you by appointing a guardian.  If both parents die without having appointed a guardian, it may be left to the courts to decide with whom your child will spend their most formative years.  At worst it may lead to family disputes at a time already fraught with emotional distress.

A Will makes it much easier for your family or friends to sort everything out when you die.  Without a will the process can be more time consuming and stressful.

Finally, a Will can help reduce the amount of inheritance tax that might be payable on the value of the property and money you leave behind.

Have a happy and successful 2020.

Janine Heil, Partner, 

Leigh Duncan Solicitors 

Janine qualified as a solicitor in 2004 and set up Leigh Duncan in 2016 with her husband Ingmar. She has been acting in the sale and purchase of property for over 15 years, the last 10 of those have been based in Beaconsfield. If you have any questions, feel free to pop in and speak to Janine, Ingmar or any of the friendly team next time you are passing.