October is National Free Wills Month, with solicitors and will writers across the UK offering free basic wills to those aged 55 and up. During Free Wills Month, participating solicitors will write or update a simple will at no cost.

The goal is that by writing a will during Free Wills Month, you will be able to help one or more charities such as the National Trust, British Heart Foundation, and Samaritans.

According to the website for Free Wills Month:

“Those who accept the offer are under no obligation to leave a gift to one of the Free Wills Month charities, but we sincerely hope that many will see this as an opportunity to help their favourite cause.”

It’s a fantastic campaign to encourage those who have never written a will to do so for the first time, as well as to assist charities in potentially securing legacies in those wills. That is certainly to be encouraged. However…

Simple may not be sufficient.

The Free Wills campaign only provides free simple wills, and many wills, in our experience, require more substantial and detailed provisions.

If you want to leave meaningful and protected legacies to all of your loved ones, you’ll need a will that is clear, unequivocal, and difficult to dispute.

• You may want to include a clarity statement to make your bequests as clear as possible.
• Trusts can be used to keep assets and funds separate for specific beneficiaries.
• You may have a blended family in which you want to include and possibly exclude certain blood relatives and in-laws.
• A simple will would not cover these provisions.

Donating to your favourite charities

Any will can include a bequest or legacy to as many charities as you want. To support charities close to your heart after your death, you do not need to make a will during Free Wills Month.

It also does not have to be a national charity: you can leave a legacy for smaller local charities that would struggle to serve those in need without donations and legacies like yours.

It doesn’t have to be a large sum; small legacies can quickly add up to a lot if enough people leave them.

Will Disputes

Many people, especially in the current economic climate, may be tempted by a free will. However, while you may save money in the short term, your family and beneficiaries may suffer in the long run.

The UK Inheritance Disputes Report 2022 states that

• In their lifetime, three out of every four people will be involved in a will, inheritance, or probate dispute.
• The most common type of dispute is between siblings over inheritance.
• One in every four people who contested their inheritance said it was because the deceased was coerced.
• One in every three non-family claimants were described as the deceased’s “colleagues.”

Think local for your will

As a local estate planning firm, we understand the importance of writing your will with a local will writer. As appealing as these free and other online options are, nothing beats sitting down with someone who can help you see the big picture. Together, you can figure out what you have, what you want to leave, and how to get it to the people you want to help.

A local will writer is available to assist you now and in the future. A will is a living document; as your life changes, so should your will. You may want to change it to reflect a change in your financial situation or to include new family members such as grandchildren.

You may also need to replace the named executor/s if they are unable to carry out this extremely important task.

Going back to someone who is already familiar with your situation and who drafted your initial will can save them hours of time and thus cost you less in the long run.

Will Storage

If you enjoy murder mysteries, you understand how critical it is for your executor to be able to quickly and easily locate a valid and up-to-date will. A signed copy of your will can be kept by your local will writer or a law firm. (They usually don’t charge extra if you have them write your will.)

Just make sure your executors know where the will is kept, and don’t hide it at home somewhere so obscure that Miss Marple AND Hercule Poirot would have to look for it!

If your will writer retires or your solicitors merge with another firm, rest assured that all wills are transferred to a new firm for safekeeping.