Writing a Will can protect your family's future

Jenny Pierce, Head of the Wills, Probate and Mental Capacity team at Wards Solicitors, explains why she believes Above & Beyond’s Write Your Will Fortnight is a fantastic way to encourage people to make a Will and help Bristol city centre hospitals at the same time.

The peace of mind that making a Will, and keeping it regularly updated, can bring is hard to underestimate.

It not only puts you in control of the final destination of your estate, meaning your friends, family and charities close to your heart will be provided for as you wish, it enables you to protect your assets for future generations, save on inheritance tax and be specific about personal possessions.

The trouble is, making a Will is easy to put off. In fact, there are currently 31 million people in the UK who run the risk of dying without one, meaning their estate would be distributed under strict intestacy laws and not necessarily how they want.

A correctly drawn Will is an inexpensive way of avoiding difficulties for your relatives in the event of your death and is far cheaper for them than having to sort out your estate if you die without a Will in place.

It can cover everything from appointing guardians to look after any children under the age of 18 to outlining what kind of funeral you want and appointing people you know and trust as executors to make sure everything is handled how you want.

Some key times to do this are when you buy a house, get married – as this cancels out any Will you previously made - move in with a partner, get divorced or have children.

Reflect and review

Having made a Will, it’s important to remember that it needs to be regularly updated to ensure it remains current and reflects any changes in your own life and those of people important to you.

Taking just a bit of time out from the hectic day-to-day to make a Will can make all the difference to protecting your family's future, and you will also be contributing to the work that Above & Beyond does to support patients, their families and NHS staff at hospitals across Bristol.

Wards is proud to do its part to support our local NHS.

- By Jenny Pierce, Head of the Wills, Probate and Mental Capacity team at Wards Solicitors.

Find out more about Write Your Will Fortnight and read more information about gifts in wills.