Despite a will being one of the most important documents you can ever create during your lifetime, unfortunately each year around 1 in 3 people die without making a will.
Writing a will ensures that your loved ones are protected and that you have control over the distribution of your Estate after your death. Your instructions to your Executors will be accurately recorded, ensuring that on your death, your assets and affairs will be dealt with in accordance with your wishes.
If you fail to make a valid will, your Estate will be distributed under the strict Rules of Intestacy and will not necessarily pass to your intended beneficiaries and bereaved loved ones. Furthermore, failing to write a valid will may cause unnecessary problems for those who you leave behind. Such problems can cause delays with the winding up of your Estate in addition to the burden of excessive costs, which could otherwise have been avoided.
When you consider the relatively modest cost of making a will, compared to the value of your Estate, it really does make sense to secure peace of mind for yourself and your loved one’s by seeking professional advice and making a will.
Our expert team of friendly Lawyers based across our offices located in Ashford, Cranbrook and Hythe will be happy to assist you.
The cost of making your will is varied.
The fees advertised for writing a will can vary and will depend on its complexity and nature. You may come across ads from unregulated will writing companies particularly online, offering a service to write a simple will for free, or for a seemingly relatively nominal figure. Although we naturally have a vested interest, it would be our advice to be wary of seemingly very cheap wills, as it may be a sign they are offered by people with inadequate knowledge in this niche area and hidden costs. They may seek to make themselves Executors of your Estate upon your death - at which point the costs for their services may be eye-watering and that seemingly nominal figure, may just end up costing your beneficiaries an unpredicted share of your Estate.
Wills should not be considered very expensive, regardless of the complexity of the Estate.
Using the services of our reputable will writing Solicitors and specialist Lawyers is recommended to ensure your will’s validity and to ensure that your Estate does not incur unavoidable costs.
At the time of writing, our Single Wills written in your sole name are typically charged at £295 + VAT, whilst writing a Mirror Will with your spouse, civil partner, or as a couple (sometimes called a Joint Will), are typically chargeable at £450 + VAT.
The cost tends to be higher if wills are generally more complicated, but fees will always be discussed with you in advance.
Does the Estate’s value or complexity make a difference?
Other factors impacting on the cost of your will, may be if you wish to gift various specific assets each identified in your will, if investigations are to be made on your behalf or if you wish to include a Trust which could for example include property, or assets based abroad. Therefore, you may expect to pay a charge closer to £600 + VAT in those circumstances.
To try and keep you will writing costs down, it often makes sense to give thought to the terms of your will in advance - so that your solicitor or specialist lawyer understands your requirements exactly. Do not worry if you believe that your circumstances are complex because our professionals will always discuss your circumstances with you and provide you with legal advice and options to best suit your situation.
With regards to French property owned by a UK resident, there are important considerations relating to inheritance law and we have a specialist French Department who would be happy to assist you.
Why should I use Kingsfords Solicitors Limited when writing a will?
It may be a cliché but the saying “there is no substitute for experience” is also a truism.
Our regulated solicitors and specialist lawyers have undertaken years of study and examinations to become qualified. At Kingsfords, the average length of staff service exceeds 11 years - a statistic we are rightly proud of. Our clients like that sense of continuity, allied with the years of combined legal experience and expertise that comes with it.
Our wills solicitors and specialist lawyers can guide you through the process to protect your position, especially as it relates to the ever changing implications of Inheritance Tax. This is of the utmost importance to ensure your Estate avoids paying any unnecessary taxes.
In the highly unlikely event that you would wish to complain, another important consideration is that our Solicitors and qualified Lawyers are covered by Professional Indemnity Insurance and are subject to the overriding supervision of the Solicitors Regulation Authority or CILEX. Whereas, if you were to use a standard will writing service, that recourse may not be open to you. In addition, will writing services are also unable to give you qualified legal advice in general – so please do take advantage of our Private Client Department and their wealth of expertise.
Contact
For a competitive quote with no obligation, please contact one of our Private Client Solicitors or Lawyers in Ashford, Cranbrook or Hythe today by calling 01233 624545 or alternatively fill in our “Get In Touch” enquiry form on the top or right hand side of our Website to request a call back.
You will be given an indication of how much your customised Will might cost when arranging a mutually convenient appointment.