We will all pass away one day. One of the best things we can leave behind for our loved ones is a carefully considered Will that clearly explains our wishes.
Posts tagged “Provision for Children”
A third of the adult population, more than 18.5million people, have made a Will according to recent research. However, this is the same level as 2019 and one percent less than 2020.
Family members, most frequently parents, worry about how to provide for a relative who is, or who could become, vulnerable.
Who is vulnerable?
Of course, we could all become vulnerable at some point in our lives due to accident, illness, or changes in our circumstances.
However, more generally someone could be described as vulnerable if they:
aren’t educationally or emotionally mature for their age
don’t understand how to manage their finances
depend on ‘means tested’ benefits for their day to day needs because they are unable to work, for example.
People are now more than ever realising that their affairs should be put in order. And with the situation as it currently is, there is a sharp rise in people suddenly jumping on the bandwagon and setting themselves up in their bedroom as Will Writers, offering cheap online Wills. So why should you choose someone like Angela Jane Will Writing over a online cheap will?
You can create a letter of wishes to accompany your Will. It won’t be legally binding, but it can help the people dealing with your estate or any trusts that will be set up after you die (your executors or trustees).
Many couples would like to make almost identical Wills, or mirror Wills, leaving their estate to their partner when they die.
Often everything will go to their children when the surviving partner dies.
In mirror Wills only the name of the person making the Will, and the name of their beneficiary might change. This makes them a more straightforward and cheaper option for many people.
For couples, mirror Wills mean that when one person dies, the other is protected.
You can find templates for Wills easily. They can be downloaded from the internet and bought in stationery shops.
Before you decide to write your own Will, here are some things to think about.
If you and your partner have a young child or you are considering starting a family, imagine what would happen if you both died.
It’s a subject that most of us don’t want to think about. However, you can appoint a parental guardian in your Will and make financial arrangements to support your child.
More than half of the UK’s parents don’t have a valid Will; either they don’t have one at all or it’s out of date.
Why is having a valid Will important for parents?
If your children are under 18 you can name guardians and say what you want to happen to them if you die. If you don’t do this, the family courts might have to decide what happens to them.
If you aren’t married to your children’s other parent, or you have a civil partnership, they won’t be entitled to anything when you die, unless you have included them in your Will. If you have any step-children, they won’t inherit anything either unless they are provided for in your will.
You won’t have the right to make decisions on your child’s behalf once he or she reaches the age of 18.
If you are the parent of a child with a condition such as Asperger’s or Autism, for example, you will certainly be proud of all the things they can manage for themselves when they become an adult. However, there will probably also be things that they find very challenging, such as dealing with money or talking to medical professionals.