Will writing offer!

Labrums are currently offering our Will writing service at the discounted rate of £249 plus VAT for a single Will (usually costing £325 plus VAT) or £449 plus VAT for mirror/couples Wills (usually £550 plus VAT).

Pay a £100 deposit before Christmas and we’ll reserve an appointment for you to start your Will writing service in January.

Why making a Will is so important

Over half of the adult population in England and Wales do not prepare a will. Some believe that discussing wills is morbid or tempting fate.

However, this does not need to be the case. Making a will is sensible and can be as straightforward as taking out life insurance to put your affairs in order.

If you make a valid and well drafted Will some of the advantages are:
• It will give you peace of mind
• Your assets will go to the people you choose
• Your affairs will be looked after by the people you choose
• Your infant children (if any) will be cared for by the guardians you choose
• You can protect your family and loved ones
• You can plan to reduce your potential inheritance tax bill and save money for your family
• You can provide for your family and/or friends who may be vulnerable, for health or other reasons
• You can protect your family assets from, for example, passing to those you may not want to benefit should your children and grandchildren go through divorce or form poor relationships
• You can avoid the rules of intestacy applying, as would otherwise be the case if you do not prepare a will
• You can specify your funeral wishes and if you wish to donate your organs or leave your body to medical research
• It will save time and costs dealing with your estate and searching to see if you made a will

Why should I use a Law Firm?
• To ensure that you receive specialist and bespoke advice so that your will meets your personal wishes and needs
• To ensure your wishes are documented accurately
• To ensure your will is written using precise legal English
• To ensure your will is not deemed to be invalid
• To avoid your will being misinterpreted
• To ensure your will is signed and witnessed correctly

Many people’s intentions have been frustrated or excessive costs have been incurred because they relied upon a cheap, pre-printed form of will or one that was written by someone who was not suitably experienced or qualified. At worst, a will can be held to be invalid, or open to misinterpretation. These problems can be avoided by having your will prepared by Labrums.

Who can benefit from my Will?
This is, of course, up to you. You can make gifts of cash, assets or shares in your estate to family, friends and charities as you decide. The only limitation is that you should consider whether there is anyone who might have an expectation to benefit and a possible claim against the estate if they are left out. We would be very happy to discuss this with you.

Who will administer my Will?
The person or corporate body, such as a bank or trust corporation, who looks after the affairs of the estate on death is called an “Executor”. You can chose up to four Executors and ideally should have at least two individuals or possibly a corporate body.

An Executor can be anyone over the age of eighteen, provided they are of sound mind. As Solicitors, we are often appointed as Executors and Trustees, either alone or with the surviving partner of the deceased or another family member. Trustees are the people who would look after any trusts created in your will, such as if assets were left for a young child. The benefit of this arrangement is that we can concentrate on the more administrative aspects of the estate and leave the more personal matters to be dealt with by the other Executor.

Isn’t writing a Will very complex and expensive?
It doesn’t need to be and a professionally prepared will can be worth every penny in years to come, for all the reasons mentioned above. In most cases we are very happy to agree a fixed fee so that the costs are known and agreed in advance. When compared to the potential cost to your family of not making a will, you will find that the cost of making a will with us is money very well spent.

Estate Planning and Inheritance Tax
Making a will is an important opportunity to put your plans in place to protect your hard earned money and assets for the benefit of your family and future generations, rather than the tax man, people you may not even know or approve of, creditors and divorce settlements. We can explain in clear terms what options you have and put plans in place to benefit not only your immediate family, but future generations.

Reviewing your Will
It is very important to review your will regularly. We would recommend you do so at least every three to five years, or earlier if there is a change in your (or your family’s) circumstances or legislation.