Wills

A Will, sometimes called a “Last Will and Testament”, is an important legal document which sets out how your estate should be distributed when you pass away.

It is a good idea for everyone to have a Will even if they are young, think their circumstances are straight forward, or they don’t have a large enough estate to warrant having one.

Whilst many people will simply require a standard Will or mirror Wills if implementing Wills with a spouse or partner, there are other types of Wills which may be more suited to your personal circumstances. Our team will help you decide on which type of Will works best for your needs.

Changes in your circumstance can happen quickly, which is why making sure you have a current Will in place results in your estate being dealt with in accordance with your wishes. That includes changes in your relationships – find out more about estate planning during a divorce here.

What happens if I don’t make a Will?

Dying without a Will is known as dying “intestate”, which in short means you have no control over who inherits from you. There are legal rules (the Rules of Intestacy) which determine how your estate is to be distributed if there is no Will, but these rules are arbitrarily applied without taking your wishes into account: someone could receive a part or the whole of your estate who you would not wish to benefit. And your loved ones may find it more stressful, time consuming and costly to deal with your estate.

The Power of Five

If you are unmarried but living with a partner, that person will not inherit any part of your estate unless provision has been made for that person in your Will. It does not matter how long you have been in a relationship with that person. There is no such thing as a “common law wife” or “common law husband” – we work closely with our expert colleagues in our Family Law division and together we can advise you appropriately as to your situation. 

A Will is the only way of making sure that your estate is shared according to your wishes after you die.

To make a Will or to update an existing Will, please contact our Wealth Protection team on 03333 058375 or email WealthProtection@psg-law.co.uk

Read our Wealth Protection FAQs