online will- any good?
Discussion
I don't know how old you are or how much money/assets you have but the principle of everyone having a will is good (essential!). If you die intestate your kin will have a lot more difficulty getting probate and there are set rules as to who can inherit. So, if you were proposing to leave money to someone other than a blood relation this will not happen if you don't make a will.
In answer to your question, if you are quite young and only have limited assts an on-line will would work fine - just make sure it is properly witnessed and that the executors know where it is (in case you break your neck skiing for example). Larger amounts/property probably merit a more formal legal construction particularly if your estate exceeds IHT thresholds - it doesn't cost that much to get one drawn properly and there are a lot of companies out there who will provide a service including holding the will safely for you.
In answer to your question, if you are quite young and only have limited assts an on-line will would work fine - just make sure it is properly witnessed and that the executors know where it is (in case you break your neck skiing for example). Larger amounts/property probably merit a more formal legal construction particularly if your estate exceeds IHT thresholds - it doesn't cost that much to get one drawn properly and there are a lot of companies out there who will provide a service including holding the will safely for you.
In that case as she is not a blood relative you definitely need a will to ensure she receives the assets when you die.
As for whether you should take a solicitor's advice, I suggest that the relatively small amount of expense involved - I'll guess at c.£100 - to give you certainty is worth it rather than spending next to nothing on an online will and worrying whether you done the job properly. If you do go the online route remember that your other half cannot witness the will as she is the beneficiary.
As for whether you should take a solicitor's advice, I suggest that the relatively small amount of expense involved - I'll guess at c.£100 - to give you certainty is worth it rather than spending next to nothing on an online will and worrying whether you done the job properly. If you do go the online route remember that your other half cannot witness the will as she is the beneficiary.
keslake said:
I would also add that you should attach an accompanying letter stating your reasons why this person will be the sole beneficiary.
My late Mother did this on advice and my Solicitor stated that the aforementioned letter made it so much more difficult for anyone to contest.
Potentially helpful - but only really an issue if there are blood relatives who might otherwise expect to inherit, but who are being "passed over" in favour of the girlfriend. My late Mother did this on advice and my Solicitor stated that the aforementioned letter made it so much more difficult for anyone to contest.
Even then, it doesn't prevent a challenge to the will on the basis that it fails to make provision for someone whom the deceased had "maintained". (A necessarily simplistic summary, but hopefully it conveys the general gist).
TooMany2cvs said:
steveo3002 said:
im looking for a will but dont have alot of money to spend , all my stuff left to one person
What happens if that person dies the day before you? Or a month after you?Is she on the deeds of the house?
Well worth getting a will drawn up by a specialist solicitor. Not expensive and should give peace of mind.
OP don't forget to change the will if you fall out with gf...........
REALIST123 said:
Well worth getting a will drawn up by a specialist solicitor. Not expensive and should give peace of mind.
Sage advice. Shouldn't cost much more than £90-100 for a straightforward will.I don't do wills and probate work, but I've done quite a bit of contested probate litigation to know that it's much easier and much MUCH cheaper just to get the will right first time rather than leave enough doubt for people to have to fight over it, with most of those costs likely to come out of the estate.
steveo3002 said:
as for that person dying a day before me well whats the usual thing there then
if i die i wish to leave my stuff to xyz , if shes not around then the dogs home?
Or whoever/whatever, yep, and similar for if you predecease her by a shortish amount. Let's say you're both in a car crash or house fire - and you kick the bucket just before her.if i die i wish to leave my stuff to xyz , if shes not around then the dogs home?
This is a naive question but a fairly obvious one, why must you use a solicitor?
Whats wrong with "My name is Skinny Pete from Albuquerque, New Mexico, all my assets are to go to XYZ".
I just so happened to read over a friends a will recently, it was nothing a GCSE student couldn't knock up or at least at first glance.
Very happy to be enlightened because I have no will and really ought to.
Whats wrong with "My name is Skinny Pete from Albuquerque, New Mexico, all my assets are to go to XYZ".
I just so happened to read over a friends a will recently, it was nothing a GCSE student couldn't knock up or at least at first glance.
Very happy to be enlightened because I have no will and really ought to.
steveo3002 said:
i dont have much of family to contest anything but okay on the letter
as for that person dying a day before me well whats the usual thing there then
if i die i wish to leave my stuff to xyz , if shes not around then the dogs home?
and yeah id remember to change it lol
It pretty much is just that, although it's usually stated along the lines of her having to out live you by 30 days or so. The reason is if you both die in a car crash for instance, then the one estate would inherit the others, and then distributed to her family if she's younger than you, or vice versa if you're the youngest. Your situation doesn't sound complex. as for that person dying a day before me well whats the usual thing there then
if i die i wish to leave my stuff to xyz , if shes not around then the dogs home?
and yeah id remember to change it lol
If it is the dogs home, feel free to leave it to me and I'll make sure they get it....
Edited by Jon1967x on Friday 30th January 18:49
SkinnyPete said:
This is a naive question but a fairly obvious one, why must you use a solicitor?
Whats wrong with "My name is Skinny Pete from Albuquerque, New Mexico, all my assets are to go to XYZ".
I just so happened to read over a friends a will recently, it was nothing a GCSE student couldn't knock up or at least at first glance.
Very happy to be enlightened because I have no will and really ought to.
As has been said above, what happens if the person you want to give the stuff to dies before you, or just after? What about the liabilities? You've covered all the assets, but do they get them before the debts are paid? Whats wrong with "My name is Skinny Pete from Albuquerque, New Mexico, all my assets are to go to XYZ".
I just so happened to read over a friends a will recently, it was nothing a GCSE student couldn't knock up or at least at first glance.
Very happy to be enlightened because I have no will and really ought to.
Just get a will, it takes an hour tops and costs bugger all for most people.
Beggarall said:
... If you die intestate your kin will have a lot more difficulty getting probate ...
I recently applied for Grant of Representation for my late wife (who died intestate), and I am under the impression that it's no more difficult than applying for Grant of Probate as far as getting to the stage of receiving Grant of Administration/Probate (the stage I had to go to). 
SkinnyPete said:
This is a naive question but a fairly obvious one, why must you use a solicitor?
Whats wrong with "My name is Skinny Pete from Albuquerque, New Mexico, all my assets are to go to XYZ".
You don't have to. You can DIY it, with as much or as little research as you think it warrants. 90%+ of the time, something as simple as that'll be just fine. It's the other 10% that makes that small amount worth spending...Whats wrong with "My name is Skinny Pete from Albuquerque, New Mexico, all my assets are to go to XYZ".
aw51 121565 said:
I recently applied for Grant of Representation for my late wife (who died intestate), and I am under the impression that it's no more difficult than applying for Grant of Probate as far as getting to the stage of receiving Grant of Administration/Probate (the stage I had to go to).
Procedurally, there's not much difference between obtaining a Grant of Probate (where there is a will) and Letters of Administration (where there is not).Dying without a will need not necessarily make life any more difficult. It just means that the deceased does not control who gets what - the statutory Intestacy Rules do, and they may not necessarily accord with what the deceased would have wanted.
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