We have a specialist department which deals with the making of Wills and the Administration of Estates. In addition we are able to offer help and advice on the affairs of elderly people, in particular the appointment of somebody to act as Attorney on their behalf.

The purpose of making a Will is for you to decide how you would like your Estate to be dealt with, who is to receive your Estate and if any conditions are to be attached. The making of a Will therefore gives certainty as to what is to happen to your Estate upon your death.

If however you die without having made a Will, you die intestate and the Rules of Intestacy apply, and dictate how your Estate is to be divided. This means that your Estate may pass to persons who you would not wish to benefit, by not making a Will you lose the opportunity to specify who you would like to benefit from your Estate. It is particularly important to appreciate that if you die whilst unmarried, your partner will not automatically receive anything.

The making of a Will is also important if you were to die having young children, as in those circumstances obviously somebody would need to look after them. When making a Will you are able to appoint guardians of your children, to look after them, in the event of your death.

It is important that guardians are people that the children know and get on well with. This may or may not be relatives. It may be worthwhile asking your children for their views on who they would be happiest living with if anything happened to you.

When making a Will it is also important to consider who you would want to appoint as your Executors, these are the people that are responsible for ensuring that the instructions laid down in your Will are carried out. Most people appoint members of their family or close friends to act as Executors, but you would need to consider well in advance of making a Will who you would wish to appoint. If you would prefer a solicitor to act as your Executor we offer the facility for one or more of the partners in this firm to act in that capacity. There is no charge for appointing the partners here to act as Executors in your Will, although we obviously charge for our services for dealing with the Administration of your Estate upon death.

Making a Will is something that we should all do, regardless of our age, and it is something that many of us put off. For a copy of our free brochure on Making a Will, please telephone Rachel Smith, our Client Relationship Manager on 01634 299210