Have you made a Will?

[661-Pete]

Mrs P (who's been 'reminding' me for years) has made an appointment next week for us to see the Solicitors, to start the process for both of us to draw up Wills.

An issue I've been evading for all my life, until now. .

It will be an interesting and quite emotional experience. I don't know if I'm really fully prepared for it.

I wanted to do it with Solicitors, despite the extra cost, because I wanted to be sure of 'getting it right'. I have some ideas about legacies outside of the immediate family, including charities.

Any thoughts?

 

[Noodley]

Me?

 

[mark barker]

I did one a few years back after my divorce. Not sure if it'll make much difference as I haven't got much to leave to anyone, but I was advised to work with percentages rather than exact figures so that regardless of my future fortunes (yeah right!) things would still work out as I wanted.

 

[ianrauk]

Made a Will?
No, I've made a Daniel and a Henry, not made a Will.

In all seriousness Mrs Ian keep saying I/we should but I/we just haven't got round to it.

 

[vernon]

You'll be taken through lots of scenarios regarding who might survive and who might not should misfortune visit you. Some of the permutations were really thought provoking and had not crossed my mind before having a will drawn up. It will become clearer on the day and you might want to ask for time to give the matter further thought before finalising the first version of your will.

Must revisit my own now that the offspring are over eighteen.

 

[gbb]

Scary thought after watching the TV programme (can't remember what its called).
I'm not rich but a house and money in the bank to share 3 ways for the kids, ...and i've made no provision or plan whatsoever. Stupid...

And then there's the bikes ...who will love my bikes ????? They;ll run with the money..perhaps i ought to put a clause in....you take the money, you take the bikes

 

[buggi]

you are right to do it through a solicitor. the do it yourself wills or the so called Will-experts that come to your house are not always qualified.

don't worry too much about it, the solicitor will guide you.

 

[Mark Grant]

It's something that my wife has been on about for a while and we have finally got around to making an appointment in the half term.
My sister is a legal exec. so we have arranged an appointment with one of the partners where she works.
He'll do it at 'mates rates'.

Mark.

 

[vernon]

On the subject of wills...

I convinced my son that I'd bequeathed my collection of vinyl records to a colleague. I managed, with my wife and siblings' assistance to keep up the pretence for over five years. He was distraught when I first disabused him of the notion that he had dibs and he has offered a whole range of compromises over the years, all of them rebuffed.

I know that he always had the tiniest element of doubt about the veracity of my assertions. I suspect that he's finally twigged as the matter has not reared its head for over a year.

It's been the most successful wind up ever at Chateau Levy

 

[661-Pete]

Me?

PM me your full name and address, and we'll see. You might only get the brake blocks, though...

 

[slowmotion]

We made ours when the kid was born. Fatherhood made me think about how my biological reason for existing had been met, and that the next step was to die. All entirely natural in the grand scheme of things.

We went to a local solicitor, left our worldly wealth to each other and the kid, and left 30 minutes later. She advised us and guided us through the decisions. Really easy, not at all unpleasant, and not that expensive either. If you do not make a will and you die, you can quite easily leave a whole mountain of pain for your family, and it will be the lawyers who feast on the carcass.

Do it.

 

[marzjennings]

All done about 7 years ago when the kid was born. Over here (USA) you can include wording around who gets to look after your kids if we both croak and who gets to manage their inheritance. We nominated some good friends of ours who have kids around the same age as ours, they, likewise, put us down as potential guardians on their will.

 

[Cardiac]

Mrs C and I did one a few years ago - primarily to simplify things in the event of our demise. The main reason in our case was to ensure a speedy resolution of our affairs. It was all quite simple really - cost a bit more than I expected - but by using solicitors, etc., well versed in such matters one has the confidence that the will would be pretty watertight.

 

[beanzontoast]

Mrs B and I did ours recently - individual wills rather than joint - both done through her employers as we got a nice discount. We did have to return one will however owing to a typo, which was a bit alarming, but all sorted and nice to know we've done it. Our families on both sides involve some potentially complicated step-relationships which we have strong feelings about, so stating our preferences was important.

 

[slugonabike]

We did ours many years ago, making provision for money to be held in trust until SlugBoy reached a certain age etc. We then re-did them when SB passed 18. We were a little surprised to be asked 'OK, that's what happens if you die, what happens if you don't?' and sorted out power of attorney at the same time (although the rules regarding those have since changed). I guess there will be no further need to change our wills again in the foreseeable future.