So you’ve decided you need a Will or Power of Attorney, and are wondering what is the next step. Freddie on Facebook, or Dave down the pub, have told you that you can do it yourself. “It’s easy”, “Nothing to it”, “Get a kit”, “all you do is …”. So why should you use a professional?
DIY Wills can lead to lots of issues!
- Unless your circumstances are REALLY simple (you are single, don’t have children or property) then a DIY can have LOTS of gaps.
- There may be challenge with Inheritance Tax that you haven’t considered.
- You may miss an opportunity to protect assets from accidental disinheritance.
- Your Will could be challenged if it isn’t properly executed and witnessed by the right people.
- Some templates don’t even have space for you to name guardians for your young children!
So why should you use a professional for your Will?
When you come to us for help with a Will, we really go the extra mile. We …
- find out what you want to achieve and offer you the right solution to do that
- fully consider your estate by discussing your financial situation – so you understand your Inheritance Tax allowances and potential tax situation.
- discuss your family and circumstances – so you understand who could have a claim on your estate.
- make sure you understand the risks of assets being lost in several future situations like remarriage, divorce, need for care, financial challenges.
- tell you about the various trusts you can use to protect your family.
- confirm your capacity to make a Will.
- help you write Letters explaining some of the decisions you have made e.g. when you exclude someone.
- ensure your Will is properly signed and witnessed so you know it is legally valid.
DIY Lasting Powers of Attorney can contain errors and can incur additional costs!
Every week we see advice on social media to “do your own LPA”. “Just fill in the forms online, send them off with your payment and “Bob’s your uncle”. Simple! But is it really?
- Every year, thousands of LPA applications are rejected by the Office the Public Guardian (OPG) – the body who register these most important of documents.
- Mistakes make include incomplete names, dates in the wrong order, ambiguous instructions, missing information.
- Each mistake means starting, and paying, again.
- We see so many examples of poorly drafted LPAs – some of which make the document unusable or totally impractical!
So why should you use a professional for your LPA?
When we help with your Powers of Attorney, we talk about your specific circumstance and also give you examples of how LPAs work (or don’t!) in real life. We also …
- make sure you make the right decisions for how and when they can be used.
- give advice on who your Attorneys can be and how they can more easily work together.
- provide you with examples of guidance you may wish to give your Attorneys in a Statement of Wishes, and help you write that.
- include specific clauses to make the use of these documents easier in the future.
- prepare and print all the (long, complex) forms for you.
- ensure that everyone signs in the correct order.
- send them for registration by the OPG, dealing with any queries that may arise.
- keep you updated on progress throughout the process.
- offer practical guidance to you and your Attorneys on how to use the documents once registered.
- deliver the originals once registered, plus a copy for you to certify.
Almost every client we see says “Well I would never have thought of that”, or “my goodness, you are thorough”, or “I never knew there was so much to it”. And that, in essence, is why you should use a professional! We will give you tailored advice and take away all the stress!
Our professional Will Writing company
We are full members of the Society of Will Writers. That means you are safe in the knowledge that we will know and understand your needs and have the right expertise to advise you properly. We have to adhere to a form of self-regulation, are bound by the SWW Code of Practice and keep our knowledge up to date through ongoing training.
We are also required to carry £2m Professional Indemnity insurance, meaning you have the reassurance that in the even that anything did go wrong, there is recourse to correct it.
Our founder, Nicola Combe, has also been elected to the Professional Standards Board at the Society. The PSB was initially brought in to raise standards across the membership and to support the Society’s work in strengthening self-regulation. The role of the PSB is to continue the work of the Executive Council by acting as a sounding board and advisory board for the Society.
And we’ve won so many awards too. The industry trusts us, so can you!
If you’ve not written your Will, or haven’t updated it for a while, or need help making Powers of Attorney, contact us on 01524 571032 or complete our Information Request Form and see how using a professional can give that reassurance that things are all done right. The cost isn’t high to get help, but the cots of not getting help can be enormous!