How do I have a Will prepared? It is possible to have a Will drawn up on a scrap of paper, but to be sure that it will suit you and be legally valid and effective we advise that you use a firm of solicitors with specialist knowledge in this area of the law to draft it for you.
At Thompson Smith and Puxon we will arrange an appointment with you which will usually last between 30 minutes and an hour. Having taken your instructions we will prepare a draft version of your Will for you to review before meeting with you a second time for your Will to be signed and witnessed.
We would be happy to visit you in your home, your care home or in hospital if you are unable to get into our office.
Before your appointment with us we ask you to think about the following:
- Who do you wish to appoint as your executors?
- What assets do you have and how do you own them (e.g. in your sole name or jointly with someone else)?
- Who do you want to leave your assets to and who do you want to look after any young children you have?
- Is there anyone else who will be expecting to receive money or belongings from you?
A Change in Your Circumstances? You should review your Will if any of the following events have occurred:-
- Have you married or entered into a civil partnership? A marriage or civil partnership revokes an existing Will unless the Will specifically states that it was prepared in anticipation of this marriage or civil partnership
- Have you divorced or are you divorcing? Until your Decree Absolute has been issued by the Court, your ex-husband , wife or civil partner may still inherit under your Will
- Have your financial or family circumstances changed significantly? This may affect the appropriateness of your existing Will
- Have you read through your Will lately? It is worth checking your Will every few years just to make sure that it still suits your circumstances
What is a Codicil? A Codicil is a legal document used to amend a Will. We would only advise using a Codicil if the Will itself was drawn up recently and the amendment is very minor.
