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Where there's a will....
Failing to make a will can lead to both heartache and hardship for your loved ones after you die.
Many people assume that they don’t need a will because everything will automatically pass on to their spouse when they die. This is not the case. If you die intestate, that is without making a will, then your estate will be divided in ways laid down by the law. Some will go to your spouse, some to your children and some may go to other family members. These could be people you may not even like and would not have chosen as beneficiaries yourself.
The only way to ensure your estate is divided in the way you want it to be is to make a will and ensure that it is properly drawn up with the help of a solicitor. It is best to resist the temptation to cut corners by using DIY will kits. The last few years have seen a rise in the number of people challenging wills because they feel they have not been provided for in the way they expected. Most of these problems can be avoided if you make sure your will is properly drawn up and then kept up to date.
The executors of the will also need to know where the original is. When an elderly man’s estate was advertised, 30 distant beneficiaries were found. Later when the movers boxed up his possessions, they opened the piano lid to find, taped amongst the strings, his will that left everything to charity!
Please contact Matthew Field at the Selsey office for more information
Please contact Roger Stone at Chichester or Sarah Evans at Selsey for more information.