People postpone making a will for a variety of different reasons. Contemplating what will happen after they have gone is not an enjoyable exercise for anyone. Nevertheless, it is impossible to overstate the importance of making a will, providing testators with the opportunity to stipulate who receives what, who they entrust to deal with their estate and even appoint guardians for any minors they may leave behind.
Led by James Scotney, Town and Country Law’s experienced legal team are specialists in will writing and estate planning, helping people across the UK to write wills that reflect their principles and priorities. In addition to dealing with the material wealth left behind, a will can also be a valuable means of letting family and friends know how much they meant to their loved one.
Recognised as an ‘advance decision’ under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, a living will enables an adult with capacity to refuse medical treatment that may be administered in the future should they lack the mental capacity to refuse it at the time. A living will effectively enables the testator to specify treatment that cannot lawfully be given. However, it cannot be used to demand a specific treatment or include a request for euthanasia or to refuse basic care.
Popular among couples, mirror wills are a simple and cost-effective way for partners to ensure their assets pass according to their wishes. Mirror wills typically leave everything to the surviving spouse then chosen beneficiaries, helping testators to simplify inheritance matters for their loved ones. Leveraging astute estate planning to protect the testator’s assets for future generations, mirror wills can shield the estate from unnecessary inheritance tax payments. Mirror wills are an important means of enabling benefactors to provide for those who are not automatically provided for by law, such as unmarried partners and stepchildren.
The National Will Register is a UK will database operated by Certainty that provides testators with peace of mind by making their will easy to locate in the future. Rather than documenting the content of the will itself, the National Will Register provides details of where it is stored. Once an individual has executed their will, in some instances decades can pass without them thinking about it again, meaning their executors may be at risk of forgetting where the will is or even that there is one. For a charge of £30 plus VAT, Certainty enters details of the will on the National Will Register, helping loved ones to track it down, ultimately ensuring that the testator’s wishes can be easily traced and adhered with.
A last will and testament is one of the most important legal documents an individual will execute in their lifetime. Recognising this, Town and Country Law’s dedicated and professional team are on hand to discuss and advise on all will-related matters, providing a personal service tailored to each client’s specific needs and even organising home visits at no additional cost.