The reason you make a Will is to ensure that your estate passes to the people you want to benefit in the event of your death.

It’s imperative that you make a Will if you are not married or in a civil partnership and you want some or all of your estate to pass to your partner on your death. If you are separated but not divorced your wife will succeed to most, if not all of your estate if you don’t make a Will.

Things To Consider Before Making A Will

• There are strict legal rules on the validity of legal documents such as Wills so a Will should never be home made

• You can’t cut your wife or children out of your estate. They have a claim on a portion of your moveable estate which includes everything except the bricks and mortar.

• If you propose to exclude your wife or any of your children from your Will be sure to let us know so that we can explain the financial implications and calculate the effect on the remainder of the estate

• A simple Will may not be the best option if the value of the estate is likely to bring it into the realms of Inheritance Tax so before giving instructions for the Will you should calculate the value of your estate including property. If it exceeds £325,000 we may be looking at some inheritance tax planning.

To find out more about making a Will contact Marie Ross:

Telephone:  0131 556 5522

E Mail: marier@neilsons.co.uk