Drawing up a will, anything to bear in mind?

[Puddy_Tat]

The bit in bold, had to deal with a death in service case at work a few years ago where someone had got remarried and not updated their beneficiary. It was messy:

in answer to the original question, i'm inclined to think that it's worth thinking about the 'what if' situations, what if some circumstance change before you die

what if one of the people / charities you leave something to is no longer around by then?

what if your circumstances change unexpectedly - if you have the sort of will where you leave the house to A and everything else to B, if you get an unexpected windfall, then 'everything else' could become worth more than you expect.

as i tend to say each time a thread like this comes up, i really ought to write a will. as things stand, mum-tat would get the lot and have to sort it out...

 

[newme]

The bit in bold, had to deal with a death in service case at work a few years ago where someone had got remarried and not updated their beneficiary. It was messy:

My dad did not get remarried and we never saw the will... like i want to assume he gave it all to his SO but I have no idea. Is there some way to know without disturbing a grieving widow ,(whatever it amounts to the same) he had his DNR paperwork with him at all times, meds records etc I can't believe he didn't bother. One career of about 9 was financial advisor too.. but things just got ignored. Like theh nay do if the family aren't money hungry cunts. I'm fine but I just want things as he wanted. Even if I get nothing.

Is there some way of finding out without disturbing his SO that doesn't need this shit? Mums side is very visible. His not so much. I don't care if it all goes to her and she gets first class care forever. Infact ill make sure she does anyway. I just want to know if he bothered mentioning me more than anything. Idk if it's a pencil I get and everything else goes to someone else. I just want to know he thought of something.

 

[Miss-Shelf]

We used Liza's union UCU. It seems water-tight. But I'll let you know how I get on.

I wonder if UCU have a payment for the funeral costs of their members? My boyfriend was in Unison and they gave some money for the funeral - I only knew because the regional rep came to the funeral - it might be worth asking the local rep at Liza's work if they can find out for you? (when you have capacity for that)

 

[sparkybird]

Don't forget that this won't be your only will. It's sensible to review it every day 10 years as circumstances will change.

 

[kabbes]

I regularly think that we should have a will but we don’t because we don’t know where we actually want to leave the money if we both die at once. If we died and the assets and life insurance were all realised at once, it would be a lot. More than I am comfortable thinking about. Honestly, not thrilled at the idea of either sibling or their kids getting it (for various reasons, including the benign. At the end of the day, they just don’t need it). We’d like it to do some good in the world, but every charity we have been involved with strikes us as mostly existing to perpetuate its own power, with good works merely being the way in which they can make that happen for now. We give regularly, but the idea of bequeathing a massive amount isn’t really inspiring us to spend our own money writing a will to that effect.

Should probably find a trust somewhere that does proper good local community stuff, but then I lose the will to do the will.

 

[Cloo]

Absolutely we'll be revisiting. For a start, our oldest could be legally changing their name when they turn 18 - they're known by another one currently but we've said we'll wait until they are old enough to do the paperwork themselves if they wish to keep it.

 

[Cloo]

Well, that's all sorted, was interesting. So we've gone for a fairly broad will, but for details we're going to use a Letter of Wishes, which isn't legally binding but we think our siblings would deal fairly with. Also, as we were planning to speak to a financial adviser soon, solicitor suggested we discuss inheritence tax planning etc.

 

[spudulike]

My dad did not get remarried and we never saw the will... like i want to assume he gave it all to his SO but I have no idea. Is there some way to know without disturbing a grieving widow ,(whatever it amounts to the same)

Costs £1.50

 

[Elpenor]

A good prompt for me to think about my own

 

[newme]

Costs £1.50

Thank you

 

[Cloo]

We first tried to put one together just before we got married but got caught up after the solicitor meeting with trying to finalise some details and never did. I asked around, maybe on my synagogue's community FB page and a few people mentioned these particular solicitors who I think are wills specialists.

 

[Boudicca]

I regularly think that we should have a will but we don’t because we don’t know where we actually want to leave the money if we both die at once. If we died and the assets and life insurance were all realised at once, it would be a lot. More than I am comfortable thinking about. Honestly, not thrilled at the idea of either sibling or their kids getting it (for various reasons, including the benign. At the end of the day, they just don’t need it). We’d like it to do some good in the world, but every charity we have been involved with strikes us as mostly existing to perpetuate its own power, with good works merely being the way in which they can make that happen for now. We give regularly, but the idea of bequeathing a massive amount isn’t really inspiring us to spend our own money writing a will to that effect.

Should probably find a trust somewhere that does proper good local community stuff, but then I lose the will to do the will.

Do you know someone who could start up and run a charity on your behalf? If it's a decent sum of money, then you don't need to give it to an exisitng charity, it could be one you specify.

 

[Elpenor]

The local free magazine came through the door today, advert in the back £135 for a will, but special offer of £85 if you’re over 60. Includes a home visit. Suspect I’ll opt for the folks who did my house purchase though as while they’re a bit dearer they’re long established and a decent regional firm

 

[MBV]

No experience of using this but another cost effective way of getting a will:

The charity Will writing scheme | Will Aid

Get a professionally written Will with Will Aid, the charity Will writing scheme. With Will Aid, everyone benefits. You get a professionally drawn-up Will and peace of mind, while the charities receive much-needed donations for their vital work.

www.willaid.org.uk

 

[UrbaneFox]

20% to UrbaneFox.

Thanks

 

[planetgeli]

I wonder if UCU have a payment for the funeral costs of their members? My boyfriend was in Unison and they gave some money for the funeral - I only knew because the regional rep came to the funeral - it might be worth asking the local rep at Liza's work if they can find out for you? (when you have capacity for that)

Thanks for this. But. No. If it was the other way around, Liza would have had fuck-all time-off for grief either. My council policy at work gave me 3x as much (obviously via union strength in the past). But no, no funeral expenses from UCU. I don't give a fuck about money right now. I'm not rolling in it, I get paid fuck all for trying to help save kid's lives, but I've never cared. I even ordered a bamboo coffin (£700 extra over a cardboard box) because bamboo and SE Asia were so much a part of Liza's life.

I don't give a fuck about anything right now, truth be told.

 

[Miss-Shelf]

Thanks for this. But. No. If it was the other way around, Liza would have had fuck-all time-off for grief either. My council policy at work gave me 3x as much (obviously via union strength in the past). But no, no funeral expenses from UCU. I don't give a fuck about money right now. I'm not rolling in it, I get paid fuck all for trying to help save kid's lives, but I've never cared. I even ordered a bamboo coffin (£700 extra over a cardboard box) because bamboo and SE Asia were so much a part of Liza's life.

I don't give a fuck about anything right now, truth be told.

sounds like you've got the option for time off from work - if so, it's good to have that as an option because your work always sounds rewarding but very very emotionally demanding
Sounds like you've made a fitting choice for Liza

 

[Hollis]

I've been looking at a cheapo one..

Online Will Writing Service | Legal Will In 15 Minutes

I haven't actually submitted it yet.. but it seems that its £90 for a single will, then £10 a year to update.

Main thing I realised is any pensions are outside of this, so need to make an 'Expression of Interest' on those too if they're money purchase.

If all my beneficiaries predecease, then its all going to cats.

 

[Tanya1982]

Mine is quite detailed. My only real advice is to think of it as an act of love for those contained within.

 

[Tanya1982]

The other thing gsv has suggested, and we will ask solicitor about, is can we ask that money is supporting the kids is until they are, say, 25 - ie a more realistic age these days to be moving out - and then the remainder passes to them.

Actually 25 is quite young - if you think about 25 in hindsight, lots of 25 year olds don’t know their arse from their elbow, have just finished education, might be tempted to short termism, etc.

My son doesn’t get real control until he’s 30, and only gets total control at 35. There are some exceptions, and he can draw on set portions earlier if these rather strict conditions come into play.

 

[Tanya1982]

Don't forget that this won't be your only will. It's sensible to review it every day 10 years as circumstances will change.

I misread that as every 10 days. I was going to say that seems like going overboard. Yes, a decade seems fair, obviously sooner if major changes occur.