How to Make a Will

  1. Making a Will is the only way to ensure that your wishes are carried out after your death. If you have not made a valid Will, your property will pass according to the Law of Intestacy. This may not be what you would have wished. In any event it is likely to take longer to finalise than if you had made a Will. During this time your beneficiaries may not be able to draw any money from your estate. It can mean arguments and distress for relatives. Making a Will lets your loved ones know that you cared enough to `sort things out' in advance.
  2. IF YOU are a single person you will want your estate divided amongst friends, relatives and charities of your choosing and in the proportions you want.
  3. IF YOU are married, don't assume `my other half will get everything'. Brothers and sisters or parents may have a claim. Often your children have a right to part of your estate. If you are living as a couple but not officially married, you may be treated as a single person and a surviving partner may get nothing at all. One thing you can be certain of - there will be argument and dispute at a time when the family should be coping with the loss of a loved one.
  4. As soon as you have decided to make a Will - and the sooner the better! - you may prefer to discuss your personal affairs in the comfort and privacy of your own home. There are many Will Writing services advertised, but it is vital to choose one that is competent, professional and has the appropriate expertise and experience. All Society of Will Writers members go through a stringent vetting procedure and continuing training to ensure that they are suitable persons to properly write your Will.
  5. Anyone can call themselves a Will Writer - you can even `do it yourself with a form from a well known stationers. But only a properly trained professional can ensure that your Will is correctly drafted. Home made or badly made Wills can be just as bad (or even worse!) than no Will at all. 
  6. IF YOU are a parent, you should consider who would look after your children in the event of your death. This is particularly important in the case of one parent families or unmarried parents living together. A valid Will nominating guardians is invaluable in such cases. If no one knows what you would have wanted, the Court will decide on the future of your children, and it may not be what you would have wished.  
  7. Don't be afraid to ask the Will Writer if he or she is a member of the Society. They will have a business card and you will see one of the following sets of Designatory Letters awarded by the Society Cmpn.SWW, FSWW(Dip), ASWW, MSWW(Dip), MSWW and Aff.SWW are a demonstration to the public our standing in education and training. If your Will Writer cannot show you this, think again.
  8. IF YOU are retired maybe you made a Will a long time ago. It probably needs updating to include additional grandchildren or deletion of persons you no longer feel you wish to leave anything to.
  9. A Will brings security, reassurance and above all peace of mind - not just for you, but for all those who depend on you, either now or in the future. Why risk your entire estate to be dealt with under a Will drawn up by anyone other than a trained professional? Having your Will written isn't the daunting prospect you might imagine. Indeed it gives most people a feeling of great relief.