As many as 50 per cent of of adults over 30 don’t have a will but it’s vital you have one.
A vital check every parent or homeowner must make today – or loved ones could miss out – has been revealed. As many as 50 per cent of of adults over 30 don’t have a will but it’s vital you have one.
Lawyer Melinda Giles has dealt with many cases where there is no will, it was out of date or not valid. She said: “I’ve seen first-hand the devastating impact of a will not being in place. I recently worked with a family whose relative had passed away, leaving behind a significant estate.
“Before she died, she’d started the process of making a will, but she sadly lost capacity and died before it was signed. This meant the estate went back to the crown.” What you pay depends on the complexity of your will, but prices range between £150 and £500.
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Of course, there is also Free Wills Month, which Martin Lewis’ team at Money Saving Expert says happens every March and October. The scheme allows people to get a solicitor-drafted (or updated) will for free – though it’s hoped you’ll leave something to charity, the BBC and ITV star’s team adds.
“Who can take part? People aged 55 and over (for couples wanting ‘mirror wills’, only one of you needs to be 55 or over). In addition, different areas take part depending on whether it’s March or October, so you’ll need to check this first,” it says.
The areas taking part this March include Aberdeen, Barry, Bedfordshire, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bristol, Cardiff, Chesterfield, Darlington, Dundee, Eastbourne, Edinburgh, Essex, Fife, Glasgow, Harrogate, Hastings, Hertfordshire, Inverness, Kent, and Kilmarnock.
The list is completed by the likes of Leeds, Liverpool, London, Mid Wales, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Wales, Northamptonshire, Norwich, Perth, Sheffield, Sunderland, Surrey, Swansea, Wirral and Wolverhampton.
Areas taking part but already full: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Chichester, Coventry, Crawley, Horsham, Peterborough, Worthing.
MSE adds: “You’ll be asked to leave money to a charity in your will (‘a bequest’). Typically people leave between £300 and £1,000, or you could leave a small percentage of your estate instead – but the decision is yours. You don’t have to leave anything if you don’t want to.”
