Wills
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Okay so let’s start with what happens if you do not have a Legally Valid Will in place. Note the Legally Valid part! 

 

If you do nothing (or the Will you made is not legally valid) this means your estate will be dealt with under the Rules of Intestacy.  Intestacy is the condition of being intestate at death. Intestate means having no Will at death. (Latin in - not and testari - make a will).

 

Basically your estate will be distributed according to the laws of intestacy which means your next of kin will have few rights to deal with matters, until the court has appointed them as administrators.  There is a flow chart that describes how your estate is distributed and this may not be in line with your ideas of how you would like your estate to be shared out, or indeed perhaps not shared, in some circumstances. 

 

There are various Wills to cover your needs from a Basic Will to a Family Asset Protection Trust. Wills including Trusts are particularly powerful and effective. More information on these can be found on our Trusts page.

 

You will need to put in place your wishes for your wealth and property, who you would like to administer this process, how you would like any dependent children to be looked after, what about your pets, and what kind of funeral would you prefer. 

 

Putting all your wishes into a legal document can save such heartache (and sometimes fall out) at a time of much emotional upset for your loved ones.