Will writing

ToneControl

I bought a will-writing kit
my plan is to write a generic one, just to ensure probate is not needed, then write a more detailed one later
(especially since the default intestate rules changed in 2014, and your spouse no longer gets all your estate)

Last time I tried to come up with the detailed one first, 10 years went by

however, this  involves using up the  pre-formatted forms in the pack

So does anyone know: do wills have to be on a single sheet of paper?

jd0272

Something I should really think about now too. Observing. 

Chalky

ToneControl said:

I bought a will-writing kit
my plan is to write a generic one, just to ensure probate is not needed, then write a more detailed one later
(especially since the default intestate rules changed in 2014, and your spouse no longer gets all your estate)

Last time I tried to come up with the detailed one first, 10 years went by

however, this  involves using up the  pre-formatted forms in the pack

So does anyone know: do wills have to be on a single sheet of paper?

My will runs to three pages and was put together with the local solicitor.

richardhomer

I thought a grant of probate was always needed in order to legally permit executors to administer an estate? Certainly I had to get probate when my mother burst her boots 12 years ago - there was a valid will in existence.

snakemanStoo

My mother in law has just got probate granted to take care of some details of her mothers estate.

I always thought that using estate meant something rather large, not the very tiny details that popped up in this case.

DiscoStu

My will is on 2 or 3 pages, done through my local solicitor. I took advantage of Will Aid http://www.willaid.org.uk/ to get it done at a reduced cost.

Philly_Q

I'm in the process of aplying for probate on my stepmother's estate.  Her will has a lot more than two or three pages, most of which I don't understand because it relates to trusts, but for now everything goes to my dad so the complex bits shouldn't matter.

Makes me think I should have a will myself, but I don't really know who I'd want to leave anything to.

gubble

Now that's ironic - just had my new will witnessed this morning. After getting re-married thought it would be an idea to get a new one done

fretmeister

gubble said:

Now that's ironic - just had my new will witnessed this morning. After getting re-married thought it would be an idea to get a new one done

Good job you did.

Marriage automatically revokes a pre-existing Will. 

HAL9000

Just been through the probate thing myself. Basically probate is needed if any of the institutions that money is invested in ask for probate. You don't get away without probate simply because everything is left to a spouse (unless everything is held in joint names).

The probate forms and inheritance tax forms look intimidating but actually aren't that bad as long as you don't mind a bit of phoning around to get values for investments etc. Also, the guidance notes that come with the forms are really good, plus there's plenty of 'law made simple' websites that are very helpful.

The really important bit with the will is making sure that the wording for the witness bits is exactly right. My dad's will didn't explicitly state that he signed in the presence of the witnesses, or that the witnesses signed in his. Caused a delay since we had to trace the witnesses and get them to sign an affidavit. Not sure what would have happened if the witnesses had both died, but suspect the will would have been invalid and monies would have been distributed as the law dictated rather than as my dad wished.

boogieman

ToneControl said:

I bought a will-writing kit
my plan is to write a generic one, just to ensure probate is not needed, then write a more detailed one later
(especially since the default intestate rules changed in 2014, and your spouse no longer gets all your estate)

Last time I tried to come up with the detailed one first, 10 years went by

however, this  involves using up the  pre-formatted forms in the pack

So does anyone know: do wills have to be on a single sheet of paper?

You can use as many pages as you want. Ours is about three from memory. 

If you don't understand the concept of probate though I think it's a dangerous thing to be writing your own will. The ramifications of screwing it up can be immense. Even gettting simple wording wrong can cause huge problems. Go to a solicitor. It's not that expensive. Using Will Aid it's even cheaper 

Ravenous

As Hal9000 just said, Probate is NOT always needed. In my Folks' case my Mother had to get probate after Dad died, but only because he had more than 10K or so of premium bonds.  (National Savings require the probate stuff for a certain amount - they don't require it if less.)  The bank, pension etc. didn't need this.

She filled in the probate stuff herself, no solicitor needed. (Someone in the know told her what to do.)

A general comment - my folks got their wills done for £99 each. However after Dad popped his clogs and we trundled off to the solicitor, we were a bit surprised to get an informal estimate of maybe £1000 or more for them to handle everything for her.  She decided to do it all herself (including the probate form) and I think most of it was sending various people copies of the death certificate (she got around 5-6 copies).  Not too complicated if you are the surviving spouse and there is nothing complicated in the will and nothing unusual in the deceased's accounts.

(I think her only slight problem was the deeds of the house - as a solicitor hadn't handled everything, she couldn't just rely on it being left in the solicitor's safe afterwards. She sold the house later anyway which dealt with that, but it would be wise to check up on this point. Sorry for drifting off topic.)

Nitefly

No, a will doesn't have to be on a single sheet, ours are about 3-4 pages each.  We did ours via the Saga website, cost us I think £64 for the two.

HAL9000

I think if it's more than a single sheet, then it has to prepared in such a way that it would be obvious if sheets were added or removed.