Families who are incorrectly making homemade wills could be disinheriting their children.
‘Do-It-Yourself’ kits have grown in popularity over recent years, because of the reduced cost. Tempted by the price of just £20 in some cases, an increasing number of people are choosing to consolidate their final wishes using a DIY kit, or filling in an internet template, or are at least attempting to. But are they really saving money or is it a false economy?
Legal professionals have documented a rise in the number of clients who could be disinheriting their desired beneficiaries (ie their children), namely because they’re asking them to be a witness to them signing the will. As a result, they are then ruled out of obtaining anything from the associated estate.
Of course, where homemade will kits are concerned, this isn’t the only problem that could arise. The DIY Will may be a perfectly legal document, but when someone writes a DIY Will, how can they be sure that they have thought of everything? Do they fully understand the consequences of what they have written (or not included)? Have they thought about the extra costs that their family may incur to deal with matters afterwards?
It’s often too late to make any changes when the family find out that a Will doesn’t achieve what was expected. Wills are complex documents with intricate legal language, and in many cases it’s important to obtain expert help. Your family and loved ones are too important to take a risk that they are not fully protected, or that they may not inherit – so why not get some professional advice?
If you would like a free review of your existing will, why not contact me?
“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” – Benjamin Franklin