Making a Will with HGW Solicitors
It’s important that everyone makes a Will. By making a Will, it gives you an opportunity to decide what will happen to your money, property and assets to your future generations without disputes or misunderstandings. Without a Will, the state dictates how your estate will be distributed and this could result in unmarried partners, friends and charities not being included as beneficiaries, which may not be in line with your wishes.
Harold G Walker Solicitors will guide you through the process of making a Will, ensuring you get the right life plan in place. This team of specialists has an aim to provide clients with complete peace of mind that their affairs are in order. By taking the time to understand your individual requirements, they will be able to advise you about the most appropriate Will specific to your needs.
The Wills & Probate team have helped thousands of clients across Bournemouth, Poole and surrounding areas to get the right life plan in place for them.
For further information please contact a member of the Wills & Probate team.
10 reasons why you need a Will
- To appoint guardians for children under the age of 18
- To ensure that the people you want to benefit do so
- To save tax
- To make provisions for your business
- To protect assets against depletion by care home fees or spendthrift beneficiaries
- To choose who will sort out the paperwork and financial affairs
- To declare your funeral wishes
- To give gifts of money or items to friends, relatives or charities
- To use trusts to give flexibility over the distribution of assets
- To avoid claims against your estate
Everybody needs a Will or needs to review an existing one regularly. It is recommended a review is made every 3-5 years, or after a significant change in your circumstances.
The specialist Wills & Probate team can help you get the right lifetime plan in place.
The Will writing process
Step 1 – Initial Consultation
You attend an interview with one of the specialist Will writing lawyers.
Step 2 – Drafting the Will
Your draft Will is created to suit your personal requirements. This is usually within 10 working days of the interview. This will be sent to you for your consideration.
Step 3 – Confirming the document
You contact us by telephone or email to point out any changes or to confirm that you are satisfied with the document.
Step 4 – Review and Feedback
A final version known as an engrossment is prepared for your signature. Preferably you will attend one of the offices to sign in the presence of two staff members. If this is difficult then the engrossment will be sent to you with instructions for signing.
Step 5 – Storage and Copy Provision
Harold G Walker Solicitors retain the original for you in the strongroom and provide you with a photocopy.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make sure that all your assets pass to the people you want to benefit.
Many people believe that if they die without a Will their spouse or partner will inherit all their assets. This may not be the case. Rules known as the Intestacy Rules dictate who will benefit if you do not have a Will. It can take more time and it is likely to cost more to sort out an Estate where there is no Will.
A Will is a document recording your wishes which comes into effect upon death. It must be signed and witnessed properly to be valid. A Will is the only legally binding document for making your wishes known when you die.
Homemade Wills are not recommended. The law around the language used in Wills has developed over hundreds of years. Courts have decided how certain words should be interpreted. The language used in homemade Wills may be difficult to interpret e.g. does “I leave all my money to my wife” include land and chattels? Often a homemade Will is not valid because of the uncertainty of the meaning or because the correct procedure for signing a Will has not been followed.
No, you must each make separate Wills. However, the documents can mirror each other, i.e. the terms will be almost the same.
Any existing Will is revoked and if you die before making a new Will the Intestacy Rules apply.
Yes, special wording can be included if there is an intention to marry so that your Will is not revoked.
No, but your ex-spouse will be treated as though they have died before you so they will not benefit. However, this does not happen until the decree absolute is granted so you should consider making a new Will on separation, especially if you do not wish your spouse to benefit either under your existing Will or under the rules of intestacy.
Your UK Will may not cover land and buildings situated in other countries including Scotland and Ireland so you should take advice in the country where the property is situated.
Yes, provided you still have the mental capacity to do so you can change your Will. This can be done by making a new Will or if the changes are minor by making a document known as a codicil. Do not record changes on the original Will document as these will not be valid.
Fees for Standard Basic Will start from £240 (plus £48 VAT) – a total of £288 or for Standard Mirrored Wills £360 (plus £72 VAT) – a total of £432.
Client Testimonials:
“Excellent service all around – nothing lacking.”Read Full
“Thank you for helping to get through the minefield and securing the keys to my business. Thank goodness I found you, my last Solicitor was very slow and rarely took my calls as she probably had bigger clients than me. I wouldn’t have got there this quickly with another Solicitor- your skill at dealing with…”Read Full
“Simon is always an excellent ambassador for Harold G Walker Solicitors…we enjoy his approach, straightforwardness and humour!”Read Full
“The outcome was very satisfactory, Mr Nethercott was most professional throughout.”Read Full
“Simply a very good service to the Company.”Read Full
“This is the second time we have used HGW for our Wills. The team is so knowledgeable, and friendly and explains the Wills so we can understand fully the wills that we are signing.”Read Full