The Dangers of DIY Wills

Drawing up a will is an essential way of ensuring that your savings and assets are distributed according to your final wishes, yet many people fail to make one for fear of the cost.

DIY Wills that you can buy in stationery shops or online offer a far cheaper alternative. However whilst an off-the-shelf will may seem attractive due to its price, it can be a risky strategy to take as if errors are made in the drawing up of the will, or the strict signing and witnessing rules are not followed correctly, then this could make your Will invalid.

The implications from this can be serious as not only do you risk leaving your family with a very complicated situation to sort out at what will already be a very emotive and distressing time, but also your assets could end up being significantly reduced by legal bills or tax, as your estate will be treated as if you had not made a will at all.

Problems can also arise if your circumstances change as many DIY wills cannot accommodate this. For example, if you get married, any will you have previously written will be automatically revoked, unless you have expressly stipulated in the will that it has been written in contemplation of marriage. Ensuring children from previous relationships are looked after as you would wish is also another concern that needs to be addressed correctly.

We offer competitive fixed fees for making a will. All our Fee Earners are qualified Solicitors who specialise in this potentially very complex area and they will provide you with a written record of your discussions and a written explanation of your Will provisions. We are also accredited with the Law Society’s Wills and Inheritance Quality Mark and are the only Solicitors in Carmarthen to have gained this distinction.

We also offer free Will registration with Certainty which is the UK national Will Register.

If you would like to speak to one of our Solicitors about making a will. then please telephone us on (01267) 237441 or e-mail us at mail@utk.co.uk