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Simple Wills for Simple People....

Mullardman

Mullardman

Moderately extreme...
Me and Mrs Mull have one property, some savings, no 'investment portfolios' or other complex stuff. We basically want to leave what we have to the first to go...
I believe simple forms are available from the Post Office Is that right?
If I go first, and given that Mrs Mull can't even switch my system on...I'd like to leave something advising her to dispose of my system and music collection with the help of a trusted, hi fi savvy friend. Does that need to be in the will, or just added as advice?
 
I’d go with a solicitor. You’ll get great advice with questions like this and other questions you might not have considered. They’re very thorough. Not expensive either, mine was about £120 IIRC and it’s worth getting right.
 
rbrown said:
I’d go with a solicitor. You’ll get great advice with questions like this and other questions you might not have considered. They’re very thorough. Not expensive either, mine was about £120 IIRC and it’s worth getting right.
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Absolutely this.

Sometimes things aren't as simple as you think thay are, and conversely something you think is complicated is actually quite simple. An experienced solicitor will know all this and it's worth getting it right!

Another thing to think about is setting up powers of attorney. You never know what's round the corner and they make things so much easier for those who have to deal with your affairs should you be incapable.
 
In general, I believe that if you are bequething you must include it in your will. If you want to make suggestions on how your wishes might best be carried out with regard to your bequest, you could leave a note to your will's Executors.
 
Solicitor. They’ll ask questions and you’ll go ‘ah yes, hadn’t thought of that’. Put powers of attorney in place as well. If you can, leave at least 10% to charity. Not only a good thing to do but your entire estate will be subject to a reduced IHT rate if applicable.
 
I always understood it all automatically goes to the surviving spouse if you have no will?
 
October is Age UK's National wills week. The solicitors who are enrolled in the scheme will do you a free will. It's hoped that in doing it you'll leave Age UK something, but it's not compulsory.
 
Mullardman said:
Me and Mrs Mull have one property, some savings, no 'investment portfolios' or other complex stuff. We basically want to leave what we have to the first to go...
I believe simple forms are available from the Post Office Is that right?
If I go first, and given that Mrs Mull can't even switch my system on...I'd like to leave something advising her to dispose of my system and music collection with the help of a trusted, hi fi savvy friend. Does that need to be in the will, or just added as advice?
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Can’t you just tell her (and your children) that’s what you want to happen with regard to the hifi? If she inherits all your property, the hifi is hers to dispose of as she sees fit, and I doubt whether a clause in the will would make much difference. All my possessions will go to Mrs H, and that’s what my will states. Keep it simple is my motto. I don’t care what happens to my stuff once I’ve gone.
 
Joe Hutch said:
Can’t you just tell her (and your children) that’s what you want to happen with regard to the hifi? If she inherits all your property, the hifi is hers to dispose of as she sees fit, and I doubt whether a clause in the will would make much difference. All my possessions will go to Mrs H, and that’s what my will states. Keep it simple is my motto. I don’t care what happens to my stuff once I’ve gone.
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That’s fine, however, what happens if Mr and Mrs Mull are in a plane together which falls out of the sky? Or a car accident in which one party has life changing care requirements etc etc etc? I know it’s a grim topic and chances of this type of scenario are hopefully very slim but it needs covering off IMHO.
 
My will does cover that (the plane crash scenario, anyway). If we both die, everything to our two children equally. If they both die before we do, everything to various nieces and nephews (no grandchildren; if any arrive the will needs changing).

But the power of attorney stuff does need sorting, and this thread is a useful reminder of that.
 
rbrown said:
I’d go with a solicitor. You’ll get great advice with questions like this and other questions you might not have considered. They’re very thorough. Not expensive either, mine was about £120 IIRC and it’s worth getting right.
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^This. And make the solicitor the executor. So much less hassle.
 
My wife & I have simple wills; we did ours via a solicitor that was local and they were doing them on behalf of one of the local hospices; so the fee went to the hospice rather than the solicitor

Could be worth looking out for something like that local; the money's going to a good cause then etc
 
Solicitors always propose their own firm as Executors - the percentage of my father's estate they would have collected amounted to about £20,000 iirc, for routine form filling and letter writing by a low-paid articled clerk. Conveyancing of any property would have been extra, of course. Neither function is at all difficult, but they thrive on ignorance and, to an extent, grief.
Which is why you will never, ever meet a poor solicitor.
 
Seeker_UK said:
^This. And make the solicitor the executor. So much less hassle.
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I'd never do that.

It can be expensive and if the appointed solicitor cocks up it can be very difficult to replace them. Appointed executors cannot simply be dismissed by the beneficiaries of the will.

I am executor of two estates of family members. I employed a solicitor to obtain probate, sort out legal stuff, and give general advice, and they are very helpful, but ultimately they act under my instructions and I can replace them.
 
Power of attorneys for both financial and medical reasons are super important as you get a little older. Get on with it - they take a bit of time to get done and registered. Suck up the costs - should not be bad for simple two-of-you stuff. If you have good children, make them attorneys.

A straight will can be easy but watch out for special eventualities. Stuff like what to do with your hifi system is best dealt with not in the will but attach an expression of wishes. That will help the executor and your wife and leave room for flexibility.

Executor. As above - do not appoint the solicitor directly! Make remaining partner as executor. Or a responsible adult child or close family member. And recommend that they employ a solicitor to do the donkey work. Even a simple estate can seem daunting to a grieving partner to try to deal with. An appointed solicitor can be chased up or even replaced.
 
MikeMA said:
I am executor of two estates of family members. I employed a solicitor to obtain probate, sort out legal stuff, and give general advice,
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That seems a better compromise - that's the stuff I got wrapped around the axle trying to sort out for my Mum when Dad died.
 
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