Reply With QuoteHave a look at Will Aid before the end of the month deadline.
I’m just sorting my Father in Laws probate.
His sons (all pretty useless with anything grown up) will get a lump sum and as such they really ought to have wills.
None of them is ever likely to use a solicitor and will only need simple wills.
Can anyone recommend a down to earth will writing service?
Have a look at Will Aid before the end of the month deadline.
Are we assuming that his sons live in England? You don’t give any clues…………….
Yes, sorry all live in England with a mix of various failed marriages, kids, partners and estranged ex-wives.Originally Posted by blackal
Not certain what would happen if any of them died given their messy histories.
I suspect they will just want the money to pass to their children rather than their ex’s.
Also one of them has no kids and has never been married.
I would go down the solicitor route given this post TBH, lots of potential complications and third party interests.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Probably true but I they are so useless with formal matters that I think they just won’t bother.
Just wondered if there was an easier option ?
An easier option is to buy a will kit from the Post Office but easier doesn’t mean better. Money and competing interests means the potential for a lot of issues.
As other posters said, they should go to a solicitor, it’ll be a quick appointment and a fairly straightforward will, but definitely needs to be done properly.
Thanks all. I’ll endeavour to get them to use the above referenced will aid. Maybe the deadline will, make them act.
Unless you are a solicitor the only way to cover everything is to use one
I found the co-op will writing service to be very straightforward. It happens over the phone is reasonably priced. Mind you, it was a very simple will. No complications.
Maybe a recorded living will with someone in the room to verify. Make copies and give to certain trusted holders to act on they're behalf.
Record a current list of assets and then who gets what
Can even do it with a phone and transfer to a USB drive
DON
Thanks for the input chaps ... I have given them a set of instructions ... hopefully they will act.
I suspect they will all (3) of them want my wife to the the executer ...
If they do use a will writing service, make sure they sign the bloomin thing, unlike my mother in law
Buying a 'will kit' is not advisable. Will kits do not cover all contingencies. Solicitors could be needed to 'sort out' others' claims after death.
Please consider reading the WHICH? guide: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/978184490...1844900339/plp. ... could be the best few £ ever spent.
"Well they would say that ... wouldn't they!"
Wouldn't trust solicitors to cover all contingencies either TBH.
For example, parent's wills leave my 'share' to Mrs K if I were to pass, then to offspring. Never thought to do same with our children's 'share'.
Part of the problem is that willwriting is typically treated as a non-priority and definitely low-ticket exercise.
Add to that the fact that a lot of people have fixed ideas about exactly how they want their estate to devolve.
A good willwriter will interrogate fully the client circumstances, and ask searching questions about family members including information about the state of family relations, shaky marriages, possible debt or bankruptcy, etc. That takes professional time that will cost typically £300-400 per hour. The answers to those questions will allow a good practitioner to do a good and suitable job. They may well recommend a different approach to that requested by the client but it will be properly tailored. It will also come at a cost maybe of several hundred pounds. Most people simply won’t pay that.
I don’t much like fixed price £100 will writing services because they don’t allow for the job to be done properly.
Last edited by draftsmann; 21st November 2022 at 15:08.
Mrs K and I are just going through the process. Our affairs are pretty straightforward.
The solicitor is charging £600 + VAT for the two wills. That price included a very thorough initial meeting (which raised some issues that we hadn't thought of, despite having done quite a bit of preparation), initial drafting of the wills (the stage we're currently at) and the final documents. Also providing witnesses to the signing (which, if not done properly, could potentially render the wills invalid) and, very importantly for us, retaining copies of the wills.
That is about what the wife & I paid for ours ...
First meeting was very detailed.
My mum signed hers but didn’t get it witnessed, however the probate officer was really nice and used her judgment as to the intent because it was a really simple will between me and my sister, I’m sure that saved a lot of hassle!
Cheers..
Jase
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