Make a Will without the solicitor's fees

by Rebecca Rutt on 10 October 2012  |  3 comments
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Writing a Will is not really a priority for most people, but right now you have the chance to get one written for a fraction of the normal cost. So what are you waiting for?

Writing a Will is something many people put off, either because it’s never at the top of a ‘To Do’ list or because we don’t want to think or talk about death.

In fact nearly 60% of us haven’t made one according to a poll by Will Aid. 

Instead of putting it off for another day, you've got a chance to get a Will written up for a significantly lower cost thanks to the month-long Will Aid campaign, which runs throughout November. 

Why do I need a Will?

This is the question pretty much everyone considers at some point. The main reason you need a Will is that unless you’ve written out what you want to happen with your assets, you have no say over this when you die.

Who gets what will depend on your circumstances. We've outlined this in our article on why it’s still important to get a Will. 

If you die intestate (without a Will), surviving spouses, for example, will automatically inherit £250,000 of an existing estate and anything above this will go to any children at age 18. However, with a Will in place you’re able to specify how much will go to a spouse, or children, and at what age they’ll be able to take control of this money.

Another major reason for getting a Will is if you’re living with someone, but you're not married. Without one, there’s no guarantee you will inherit anything when a partner dies.

Will Aid

Thousands of solicitors get involved with Will Aid every year and lend out their Will writing services in return for an optional donation to charity.

This is a chance to get a Will written once and for all when you can't use the excuse of ‘cost’ as a reason not to do it. Not only does it help charity, it also works as a way to encourage more people to start planning for their finances after they die.

Instead of paying out the normal solicitor fees, the suggested donation figures are: £90 for a single Will £135 for mirror Wills or £40 to change a previous Will. As the cost of a single Will normally starts from £120 for a single person and £200 for a couple, this is quite a significant saving.

All the money raised is split across nine different charities including Age UK, British Red Cross, and ActionAid. Last year £2.2million was donated.

A full list of participating solicitors can be found on the website or by calling 0300 0300 013. As it’s running through the whole of November, you should act now if you want to book an appointment.

Can I do it on my own?

It’s completely legal to write up your own Will and our guide gives you all the details you need. But this can be a bit of a hazardous process, generally because most people aren’t aware of everything that needs to be in a Will. As a result do-it-yourself Wills, available from high street shops such as WHSmith, can lead to problems later down the line if important things are missed out.

Generally, it needs to include details of all assets you own and all family members, including those from previous marriages. If you’ve got any complications at all in this regard, it’s much better to go down the professional route.

Any other time of the year, it’s possible to go directly through a solicitor for your Will, or you can now go through high-street chains such as the Co-operative. It’s recently launched its own legal services channel and promises to write a Will in 30 minutes with prices starting at £125.

More on Wills:

Six easy ways to pay less tax

Don't get ripped off making a Will

Your Will could be useless or dangerous

Thousands owed inheritance tax rebate