wills

Where there’s a Will - There’s a way

The ONLY document that can ensure your assets will be passed on to those whom you decide should have them is a Valid Will

Making a Will is relatively straightforward and not expensive. However, in spite of this, seven out of ten people in the UK die without a Will. This can cause delay, hardship and worry; legal costs often result if there is confusion and disagreement among those left behind.

British Nationals dying without a Will or if a Will is deemed to be invalid, because it wasn't completed or signed correctly, are said to have died Intestate. This results in the Law deciding who gets what, and the Law deciding who looks after any minor children (under the age of 18) years who are orphaned.

What is a Will?

A Will is a simple but necessary legal document where you write down what you would like to happen to your property, and any minor children, when you are not there to organise things! British Nationals may be liable to UK Inheritance Tax on their World Wide Assets

So, if as a couple you do have a Will and are UK Domiciled, although currently non UK resident, with joint World Wide assets in excess of £650,000, and have left everything to each other and on to the children, then your chosen beneficiaries will suffer punitive liabilities to Inheritance Tax).

A properly constructed and valid Will prevents this from happening.

If you are not a British National, but have assets in the UK (Property for example) in excess of £325,000 then you too may also be liable to UK Inheritance Tax on those assets, unless you take measures to prevent it.

However, if you can relate to either of the above situations and still don't have an up to date UK Will, do not worry.

UK Law will decide everything for you; this will definitely not be what you would have planned yourself, and almost certainly not what your family would have wanted or indeed expected; do not rely on everything going to your spouse and family - without a Will, it may well not.

Contact us for further information or to make an appointment with our Will writing specialist who is a member of the UK Will Writers society.