Writing a will

[TheFaQQer]

While we're talking about wills, what do I do about the fact I own a company now, which will (hopefully) have money in the bank account? My wife's company secretary for what it's worth but she would not have a clue what to do with a company and I'd want her to just get a cheque...

IANAL but I would think that the executor of the estate would liquidate the shares and then pay out to the beneficiaries of your estate.

[EmicoSM]

While we're talking about wills, what do I do about the fact I own a company now, which will (hopefully) have money in the bank account? My wife's company secretary for what it's worth but she would not have a clue what to do with a company and I'd want her to just get a cheque...

That's a good question - I'm going to take this up with a solicitor soon - once I know, I'll post up my findings...

[d000hg]

While we're talking about wills, what do I do about the fact I own a company now, which will (hopefully) have money in the bank account? My wife's company secretary for what it's worth but she would not have a clue what to do with a company and I'd want her to just get a cheque...

[NotAllThere]

For bog standard will, a solicitor will give pretty much the same results as this . ( I know, because I used it, and compared the results with what we had when we'd used a solicitor ).

Being an expat, I first consulted a local solicitor, and was pleasantly surprised to find that an English will would be executed under English inheritance rules, even thought the rules here are significantly different. ( Of course, the tax rules will be the local ones, so we get the best of both worlds ).

[TheFaQQer]

You can get some software to do it yourself for a few quid.

My first will I wrote myself - dead easy, as it left everything to my parents. If it's something similar, then you should be able to do it yourself - crib the main bits from someone else's will, get it witnessed etc. and you'll be right.

[SueEllen]

My mother handwrote her will on a couple of sheets of scruffy notepaper and we had no significant problems with it. Needs to be clear, signed and properly witnessed of course.

Can work for some people but not for others it depends on your situation and what you know about the law. To avoid arguements it's best to get it done by a solicitor.

[s2budd]

Go to a solicitor and get it done properly.
It cost me about £120 and the solicitor keeps a copy.

[xoggoth]

My mother handwrote her will on a couple of sheets of scruffy notepaper and we had no significant problems with it. Needs to be clear, signed and properly witnessed of course.

[Gonzo]

I need to do one, its going to be pretty simple just need to say who I would leave my house to and savings. Can I just knock a will one up myself in Word just detailing it all and sign it and get a witness signature on it as well or will a Will only be recognised as legal if produced by a solicitor ?

Go to a solicitor and get it done properly.

I have only recently managed to persuade my parents to do it, they always thought that if my dad karked it then my mum would automatically get the house to live in.

But if you die without a will then that is not the case. There are some obscure intestate rules that mean everything will be divided up in a way that you don't expect.

[Wilmslow]

I need to do one, its going to be pretty simple just need to say who I would leave my house to and savings. Can I just knock a will one up myself in Word just detailing it all and sign it and get a witness signature on it as well or will a Will only be recognised as legal if produced by a solicitor ?

I also need to do one.

Wills are really complex, no such thing as a simple one.

Personally - I am going to go through a solicitor.

I used to work with Barclays Estates and Trusts, people with poorly written wills, or no wills caused a lot of grief to their loved ones.

For the sake of £50.....

[BrilloPad]

When did you buy your house? I used the conveyancing solicitors and they charged £50 - that was for a 4 page complex will.

I have no doubt there are on-line sites : why take the risk of something going wrong?

[Bumfluff]

I need to do one, its going to be pretty simple just need to say who I would leave my house to and savings. Can I just knock a will one up myself in Word just detailing it all and sign it and get a witness signature on it as well or will a Will only be recognised as legal if produced by a solicitor ?