With the recent news stories of legacy’s left in Will’s to repay the national debt it seemed appropriate to highlight what you need to do to make a Will valid, and the importance of being clear and concise in the wording used.
In short, for a Will to be valid it needs to be:
- made by a person who is 18 years old or over
- made voluntarily
- made by a person who is of sound mind
- in writing
- signed by the person making the will
- signed by 2 witnesses
There is no obligation to use a solicitor – although this will help if an estate is complex or you are unsure what to do.
Finally – keep it somewhere safe – there’s no point having a will if no one knows where it is!
By writing a Will you determine who should carry out your wished, how you wish your estate to be distributed after death and who should look after any children. If you die without leaving a Will certain rules must be followed and the estate is distributed according to the laws of intestacy – often leading to a lot of problems.
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