Being healthy is often something we take for granted and it is very easy to forget about planning for the future. Writing a Will whilst you are healthy and regularly keeping it up to date, as circumstances change, is extremely important, as currently one in three people die without making a Will.
Here at Lifetime Solicitors, we understand how tempting it can be to delay the process of writing a Will. However, we are here to make the process as easy as possible and our qualified advisers can conduct a free consultation, which allows us to offer you the best solutions for you and your family.
Wills allow you to communicate and hand over your estate to your friends and family – this can significantly help them in the long term because it makes it easier for them to organise everything when you die. Without a Will, the decision is passed on to the law and the process becomes more time consuming and stressful for your family.
As we mentioned, failing to write a Will means everything you own will be shared in a standard way defined by the law, which in a lot of cases, isn’t what you might want. Writing a Will gives you full control over who your estate is left to. It can be especially important to write a Will if you have children, are living with a partner or have another family who rely on you financially or if you are planning to leave something for someone who may be outside your immediate family.
Your Will is not only responsible for distributing your estate to the people you wish when you die, but it also allows you to choose who will be in charge of organising your estate, also known as the ‘administrator’. This person will do their best to make sure all of your wishes are followed. On the other hand, if you do not have a Will when you die, a member of your family can apply to be an ‘administrator’ of your estate, but they are only allegeable to apply for this if they are your next of kin or married to (or in a civil partnership with) you.
The process for settling the distribution of your belongings, known as Probate, can be a difficult process if you have died without a Will. Probate can begin once an administrator has appointed by the courts, which can be more complicated, which can result in the process taking a longer time (up to 9-12 months).
There are a number of reasons why Probate can take up to a year. To find out more, check out one of our recent blogs, ‘How Long Does Probate Take?’. Generally speaking, the more complicated your assets and liabilities are, and the more beneficiaries there are, the longer the process will take.
One last thing, it’s important you remember that your circumstances can change, and therefore it is important to regularly review your Will to make sure it is up to date. This includes experiences such as getting married, having children, meeting new people and investing in new property.
Here at Lifetime Solicitors, we are a group of excellent, reliable representatives that offer a variety of solicitous services such as assistance with writing Wills and administrating your estate, contact us today for more information and a free consultation.
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