If you die without making a Will the law takes over and says how your assets will be divided. 

  • Your spouse may not receive everything - other family members will also have an entitlement
  • Your partner will not receive anything - "common law spouses" have no rights
  • Anything left to your children will be received by them at 18 - are you worried this is too young? Do you want to be able to decide who will look after their money for them until they reach 18?
  • If you are single with no children your parents would receive all your assets

By making a Will you can be certain your assets will pass as you want.

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Making a Will – Tax issues

Most people are worth more dead than alive. Think about the value of your home and insurances, not to mention pension and work death benefits - it all adds up.

Tax can often be avoided or reduced by carefully making a Will - so don’t give the taxman more than he is due.

 

Do I need a solicitor to make a Will? 

Technically not, but what you write in your Will may have a different legal effect to what you meant when you wrote it.

A solicitor has the expertise to make sure your Will says exactly what you want it to. Remember, solicitors generally earn more fees from solving the problems created by home-made Wills than they do from making them in the first place.

 

What will making a Will cost?

A simple Will may be cheaper than you thought. Whatever the cost, you can't afford to get it wrong - it won’t matter to you, but your beneficiaries may suffer.

It is important to realise that your circumstances change and so does the law, so always keep your Will reviewed. We would be happy to take a look at your current Will and make sure it is right for you now.

If you are going to make a Will, you should consider the following points:

  • Your personal and partner's details
  • Executors
  • Funeral wishes
  • Guardians
  • Gifts of your possessions
  • Cash gifts
  • Residuary gifts


If you would like to have a chat about your options or how we may be able to help you please contact a member of the team, complete our call back form or contact us directly at your local office.

Your Wills, Trusts & Probate Team

Helen Biglin

Partner

Helen qualified as a solicitor in 1993 and at that time joined Walton Hardy & Clough in Darlington as a member of their Wills, Trusts & Probate team.…

Michelle Coulson

Senior Associate

Michelle qualified as a solicitor in 2006, specialising in criminal law. In 2013, Michelle also trained in private client services and private family…

Krystal Garnett

Senior Associate

Krystal has over 11 years of experience in Wills, Trusts and Probate having started her career in Liverpool and subsequently working in North Wales and…

Claire Horowitz

Senior Associate

Claire has over 16 years of experience in Wills, Trusts, and Probate, having started her career in Gateshead, qualifying in 2008. She subsequently relocated…

Laura Vipond

Associate

Laura has worked in the legal profession for over 20 years. She completed her training at J W Mitchell Dodds & Co and remained at that firm when it merged…

Lucy Watson

Associate

Lucy studied law at Newcastle University before completing her LPC in York and qualifying as a Solicitor in 2017. She is proficient in all matters relating…

Bethany Pickering

Solicitor

Bethany was born and raised in Middlesbrough and has always had a commitment to developing her law career locally. She started her journey studying law…

Peter Leach

Chartered Legal Executive

Peter is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Legal Executive and has over 35 years experience in dealing with Probate matters. Peter joined BHP Law…

Lucy Burgess

Apprentice Solicitor

Lucy joined BHP Law as a Solicitor Apprentice in September 2022. As an apprentice, Lucy will experience working within different departments over the…

Jack Collins

Senior Solicitor Apprentice

Jack joined BHP in September 2020 as an Apprentice Solicitor in our Family Team. In year one of the apprenticeship Jack predominantly assisted with private…

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