Making a Will

A Will allows you to decide who should inherit your money, property and possessions after your death. It can also appoint executors, name guardians for children under 18, provide for dependants and include particular gifts or funeral wishes.

Without a valid Will, your estate will be distributed according to the rules of intestacy. These rules may not reflect your wishes or the needs of the people closest to you.

If you die without a valid Will, you are described as having died intestate. Your estate will then be divided according to statutory intestacy rules rather than your personal wishes.

This can be particularly important for unmarried couples because an unmarried partner does not automatically inherit under the intestacy rules. It may also create complications for blended families, stepchildren and other people who depend on you.

Wollens offers three fixed-fee Will-writing services:

• Essential: £395 plus VAT for a Single Will or £595 plus VAT for Mirror Wills.
• Standard: £595 plus VAT for a Single Will or £795 plus VAT for Mirror Wills.
• Enhanced: £895 plus VAT for a Single Will or £1,195 plus VAT for Mirror Wills.

If your circumstances fall outside these packages, we can provide a Bespoke Will Service. The initial meeting is charged at the solicitor’s hourly rate, after which we will provide a clear fee estimate for the work required.

The appropriate service depends on your family, assets and the provisions you want to include.

• Essential may suit straightforward arrangements where an estate is being left to a partner, children or up to four adult beneficiaries.
• Standard can include guardians, provision for children under 18, individual gifts and basic inheritance tax considerations.
• Enhanced adds a life interest trust relating to one property.
• Bespoke is designed for circumstances requiring more detailed or complex advice.

These descriptions are an initial guide only. Our team can help you identify the most appropriate service before work begins.

Mirror Wills are separate Wills, usually made by spouses or partners, which contain broadly corresponding wishes. For example, each person may leave their estate to the other and then to their children.

Each person still has their own individual Will and can change it. A solicitor will explain whether Mirror Wills are suitable for your circumstances.

Yes. A Will can name the person or people you would want to act as guardians for children under 18. It can also include trust provisions and appoint trustees to manage an inheritance until a child reaches the specified age.

Guardian appointments and standard provisions for minor beneficiaries are included within Wollens’ Standard and Enhanced Will services.

It is sensible to review your Will regularly and whenever there is a significant change in your personal or financial circumstances. This could include:

• Getting married or entering a civil partnership
• Separating or divorcing
• The birth or adoption of a child
• Buying or selling a property
• A significant change in your assets
• The death of an executor or beneficiary
• Starting or selling a business
• Changes to your family relationships or wishes

Marriage or civil partnership can revoke an existing Will unless that Will was prepared in contemplation of the marriage or civil partnership. You should therefore seek advice when your circumstances change.

In some circumstances, a life interest trust can allow a spouse or partner to continue living in a property while ultimately preserving your share for chosen beneficiaries, such as children or stepchildren.

Wollens’ Enhanced Will Service includes a life interest trust relating to one property and the mutual severance of the joint tenancy of that property. This type of arrangement is not suitable for everyone, so its benefits, limitations and implications should be discussed with a specialist solicitor.

The Standard and Enhanced services include basic consideration of how inheritance tax may apply to your estate.

If your estate or tax position is more complicated, the Bespoke Will Service may be more appropriate. A specialist solicitor can review your circumstances and explain whether more detailed estate planning advice is required.

Wollens provides free storage of your completed Will as part of its Essential, Standard and Enhanced Will services. You should tell your executors that Wollens holds the original document and make sure they know how to contact us when it is needed.

Wollens has offices across South, Exeter and North Devon. We are also happy to discuss appointment options in the comfort of your own home.

Please contact the team to discuss availability, suitability and whether any additional charge applies to a home appointment.

It is possible to prepare your own Will, but a Will must meet specific legal and signing requirements to be valid. Ambiguous wording, unsuitable witnesses or an incorrectly signed document can create uncertainty and disputes after your death.

Having your Will professionally prepared can help ensure it is legally valid, accurately records your wishes and properly considers your family and financial circumstances.