Creating a valid will is the only way to ensure your assets are disposed of exactly as you wish after you die. Yet so many people never create one. While the processes and language associated with willmaking may sound complex, a basic will is all that most people need. Below, in simple English, we’ve explained the fundamentals of creating a will – and even provided a template for drawing up a basic one.

Having a will drawn up

Last updated

1 July 2022

For a small fee, a will can be drawn up by a solicitor, a trustee company or the State Trustees.

The law of wills has many pitfalls, so it is highly advisable to see a lawyer, legal service, or trustee company about drawing up a will, particularly if complex issues (e.g. estate claims, taxation, creating trusts, beneficiaries with disabilities) are involved.

A will is usually taken at face value. If a will is incorrectly drafted, it is difficult to admit evidence to show that the willmaker may have intended something different from the words used in the will. It is also very expensive to have a will interpreted by the Supreme Court.

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