Now that we’ve got a baby we really need to write a will (mostly so my crazy mother-in-law doesn’t get custody of my son should the worst happen!), what’s the easiest (without costing too much) way to go about it? Thanks.

I would suggest you get it done professionally. It might cost a bit more but you know it will be done right.

“Which” have a legal service which will do that for you at a fraction of the rip off charges of most “will writing” solicitors. We did a load of research on this and were extremely happy with what which provided.

You need a quality will, not a cheap will.

+1 local solicitor

And have you sorted out both of your life insurances?

+1 local solicitor

How do I find a good one who won’t rip me off, do I just pop into a few locally and ask for ‘quotes’ to compare?

have you sorted out both of your life insurances?

Both? Do you mean wife and me? If so we’ve already got a joint policy which we took out when we bought the house.

Policy on the life insurance (assuming its not just a policy to cover the mortgage) might need to be re-written in trust, as obviously there’s now a clear beneficiary other than your close family and the bank ..

Sometimes local solicitors have Will weeks when they write wills with a donation to charity. Many of them would rather there was a will in place than not, strange as it may seem.

I may be in a small minority by having a will in place by the time I was 21, courtesy of my solicitor uncle.. Good advice..

You might want to think about power of attorneys too, who you’d like to be guardian of your child(ren), and extra donations to charity, family or friends. And specify a blow-out funeral while you’re at it ::)

This is something that I need to get sorted too. Is it a complicated process or do you just go into a solicitors with a plan of action?

I was told that WH Smith sell DIY wills that are easy to do and legally binding.

Just found it

http://www.whsmith.co.uk/Products/Lawpack-Last-Will–Testament+Paper+90010910

I have heard of a few using these.

Cheers kcal, we’ve already discussed who we want to nominate as a guardian and a ‘back-up’ and will probably go with half of anything we leave being used to pay the boys way and half in trust till he’s older etc.

If you can hold off dieing for a few months you could use http://www.willaid.org.uk/

We used a local chap, a month later we had a fairly stock pair of wills for a couple of hundred quid to protect mini m0rk should we meet an untimely finish

As it’s your child’s future you are trying to protect, do it right and go to a solicitor.

You aren’t just appointing a guardian, there are all sorts of financial trust issues to deal with such as how much access does the guardian have to any money you leave. Can they spend it at will? how much is locked away till your child is 21? Should they need two signatories to get any lump sums (over living expenses) etc.

What is a good situation for your guardian now, may not be 5 years down the line. Their circumstances may change and you child could be left with nothing.

Also – take out some good life insurance. If you can leave your child a few hundred thousand on your death it could give them a great start.

A WHSmith DIY will is not the way to sort this out!

Re the life insurance – have a word with the life insurance companies to see if you son would benefit from them if both parents are killed at the same time (car crash for instance). Don’t just assume he will get any cash.

Understand the argument for local solicitor but at £300 – £500 each and a charge just to have an initial discussion you would be mad not to make a free enquiry through “which” aswell. They use a legal firm just like any other company, so no less professional and no cost to find out what you get for your money.

If you still decide to use a local company then you have lost nothing.

300 to 500 seems steep for a will . When I did them I used to charge between 50 and 150 always plus vat. Wh smiths wills are ok for very simple arrangements but you are taking care of two children and substantial financial assets and seeking to prevent some one motivated to interfere from upsetting your plans when you are not there to control what happens. Go to a local solicitor who specialises in probate.

If nothing else I’d they mess up your kids can sue them.

It helps if before you go you think through what you want and worst case scenarios and write down your plans.

Don’t use your banks will writers . Be aware if a will that appoints the will writers as executors with a power to bill the estate.

£100-£150 im being quoted at moment by local solicitors

Wills are relatively cheap and simple to do and would cost in the region of £150 to £200 plus possibly VAT (we charge £150 for a joint will with no VAT).

If you really want to protect your child’s inheritance etc. then you may want to think about some sort of trust (in my experience, if you go to a solicitor, who’ll most likely just get a simple Will and be sent on your way without thoroughly understanding your situation and advising you appropriately).

In my opinion, don’t do this based purely on price – ask what they would recommend you do…unless they have a really in-depth conversation or fact find with you how can they fully understand what it is you want to achieve from your Will and ensure these objectives are met?

Both? Do you mean wife and me? If so we’ve already got a joint policy which we took out when we bought the house.

Is that for an amount at least 2-3 times the cost of paying off the mortgage? Note that death policys are cheap but also get dearer as you get older.

Also a quality Will will (sic) last a long period (usually until either one of you dies or you have another child).