By Richard Thomson, Co-founder Kinherit
If you already have a Will, well done! You’re more organised than most. But if you want to be sure you’re protecting your family properly, there are a few key things you should know first…
Around 30% of Wills have major mistakes that make them not fit-for-purpose
Alarmingly, the majority of Will-writers don’t hold formal Will-writing qualifications. Perhaps this is why around 30% of Wills we’ve reviewed contain major flaws (and up to 50% of Wills contain some issues)*.
Even if it was written by a solicitor, it’s worth getting your Will checked (the majority of failed Wills in the above statistics were written by solicitors). This is because most solicitors who write Wills do not hold STEP (Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners) qualifications – the industry standard you should trust.
If your situation has changed, your Will might not do everything you need it to
When your Will was written it should have reflected your situation at the time. But things change. Perhaps you’ve had more children, got divorced or separated or changed your mind on your wishes. If so, you’ll need to check if your Will still does what you want it to do. And crucially, that it still protects the right people.
There are options that could serve you better than a simple Will
The majority of Wills are sold as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, but this can be overly simplistic and ultimately it is your family that will pay for it.
If your original adviser didn’t explain any other options to you it’s worth getting your Will checked to make sure you’re not missing a trick. Trusts in particular can be a powerful tool that anyone can use to protect the inheritance their family get.
* Statistics based on reviews performed by Kinherit
OFFER: FREE WILL REVIEW
AVN’s Will & Trust partner, Kinherit, is offering all AVN members a free Will-review. Visit https://www.kinherit.co.uk/avn and follow the instructions.
Kinherit is a different type of Will-writer. They put your interests first – and address the range of legal, financial and practical needs. They combine STEP-qualified expertise with a unique Will-planning platform to give you more control and better protection for your family.
See more from Kinherit – Insider’s tips on writing your Will