The importance of Making a Will in 2019

Making a will is one of the most critical things that you can do, and yet research produced by insurance company Royal London has found that 54% of UK adults do not have a Will.

Passing away without leaving a valid Will often makes an already difficult time for your loved ones all the more distressing. If a person dies without leaving a Will (intestate), the rules of intestacy will determine how the Estate is to be distributed. This may mean that your Estate is distributed in a way that you would not want it to be distributed and it is not necessarily the case that if you die intestate, that your entire Estate passes to your spouse. There are various factors at play and so seeking Independent Legal Advice is highly recommended.

A valid Will details who is responsible for dealing with your Estate, the Executors, and sets out how you would like your Estate to be distributed. It can also include specific Gifts, appointments of Guardianship and Funeral Wishes, amongst other components, depending on your individual wishes.

Leaving a valid Will will mean that your friends and family will have guidance in place in how to administer your Estate when you pass away. It will also make the grieving process easier for your loved ones without the added difficulty of dealing with an Intestate Estate.

Along with the importance of making a clear and valid Will, it is paramount that your Will is held in a secure location. At Pictons, we store your original Will free of charge in our theft, fire and water damage proof storage site for your lifetime. This will give you the peace of mind in knowing that your loved ones can have ready access to it when required.

Fazia Hussain, a Wills and Probate lawyer at Pictons Solicitors deals with all aspects of legal work relating to Wills, Powers of Attorney and Probate and comments “The importance of producing a Will which sets out your individual wishes for all that you’ve worked hard for and for those dearest to you can not be overestimated, I thoroughly enjoy helping my clients to do this.”

Fazia can be contacted by email Fazia.hussain@pictons.co.uk or by telephone on 01442 229 670.