Preparing a Will

It is a simple process. A statement of how you wish to dispose of your estate is all that is needed to make a will.

Why do I need to make a will?

A will is necessary to make sure that your wealth is passed on to the people or organisations you want. It is also to make sure your dependants are taken care of. If you don’t have a will, provision for intestacy will mean that:

When do I need to make a will?

It is wise to make a will as soon as you take on family responsibilities,including –

How do I prepare my will?

It is a simple process. A statement of how you wish to dispose of your estate is all that is needed to make a will.

How does it become a legal document?

For your will to become a legal document, you must sign and date it in the presence of two witnesses. The witnesses do not have to see the contents of the will – they are only witnessing your signature. They must write their names and addresses, and also sign and date their signatures. The witnesses cannot benefit under your will.

If you make a subsequent will, all previous wills become null and void. This also applies if you get married or divorced.

Scottish law: important differences

The law in Scotland is different to that of England when it comes to wills. Although most of what has been said so far applies to Scotland, there are six important differences:

Further Information:

The Age Concern website provides more information on preparing a will.

For a small charge, you can deposit your will with the local court so that it can be found during probate searches, regardless of whether anyone else knows that the will exists or not.

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