How to Organise Your Will?

Making your will

Preparing for your eventual passing may seem difficult, but drafting a thorough will remains essential for safeguarding your family and making sure your final decisions are respected. 

A clear and legally sound will can save your family significant stress, time, and potential disputes during an already challenging time. This content provides practical instructions on properly arranging your last testament and final wishes.

The Importance of a Will

A will serves as an official paper outlining how your belongings—like real estate, finances, and personal items—should be shared when you die. If you do not have a valid will, government rules determine who gets what, potentially ignoring what you would have wanted. Having a well-organised will provide several benefits, including:

  • Control Over Your Assets: You have the authority to designate exactly who will inherit your property, money, and personal belongings, ensuring that your wishes are respected after you pass away.
  • Protecting Your Family: By making thoughtful provisions in your estate plan, you can secure the financial future of your spouse, children, and any other dependents, safeguarding their wellbeing in your absence.
  • Selecting Child Caretakers: You can choose reliable people to look after your young kids, making sure they’re raised by someone you trust completely, bringing comfort to your family.
  • Detailing End-of-Life Ceremonies: By stating your choices for memorial events, or burial options, you can make sure your final requests are followed, sparing your relatives from tough choices during their grief.
  • Minimising Inheritance Tax: With careful planning and consideration of applicable tax laws, you can implement strategies to reduce the inheritance tax burden on your heirs, preserving more of your estate for their benefit.
  • Avoiding Potential Family Disputes: By providing clear, detailed instructions regarding your assets and their distribution, you can significantly lower the likelihood of misunderstandings or disputes among family members, fostering a sense of harmony.
  • Streamlining the Probate Process: A well-organised estate plan ensures a smoother probate process. Having a probate solicitor helps your executors manage your estate more easily, allowing them to fulfill your wishes effectively and efficiently.
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Proper Signing and Witnessing

For your will to be legally binding, you must sign it with two unrelated adult witnesses physically present. These witnesses can’t be people who receive anything in your will or their partners. Everyone needs to be together in one room during signing. After you sign, witnesses must also sign while you watch and while watching each other.

Safe Will Storage

Once your will is properly signed and witnessed, keep your will somewhere secure yet findable. Tell your chosen executors exactly where the original will is kept. Here are some good storage options:

  • With your solicitor: They will usually store the original securely.  
  • In a fireproof safe at home: Ensure your executors know the location and have access.
  • At the Probate Registry: This offers secure storage for a fee.

Never keep the only signed copy of your will at home where it could be lost, damaged, or destroyed.

Creating your will is a vital action to guarantee your intentions are fulfilled and your family members are provided for. By recognising the importance of a will, thoughtfully considering your desires, seeking professional legal advice, and ensuring that your will is properly drafted, signed, and stored, you can achieve peace of mind knowing that you’ve addressed this important aspect. 

Act now – begin the process today to prepare your will and protect your heritage. Keep in mind, seeking specialized advice from qualified lawyers can simplify the experience and confirm your will meets all legal requirements.