Why do a Will? Why do it with a solicitor? If you are going to make a Will do it properly. Do not buy a will kit at the Post Office or online and think you have got it covered. There are so many ways you can create a massive problem without knowing it. Your Will is the most important legal document you are going to do for your lifetime. The Will specifies who is going to be in charge of your funeral and the administration of your estate when you die. It is going to specify who you want to have your precious assets and belongings. If you get it wrong you are going to create stress to the people you care about and maybe cause gifts to non intended persons or create a legal contest over the Will. If you have young children and you die and they need to be cared for by others. You can cover this in the Will.
Cost? Most people fear the cost of doing a Will with a solicitor is unaffordable. It is not. Ask us for our standard fees for a straight forward singles or couples Will. Additional discounts apply for pensioners and health care holders. If the Will instructions are not straight forward additional costs will apply.
What do I need to do? Ring up and make an appointment. If you are couple come in together because things need to be discussed openly and we can assist the conversation. The appointment generally takes 30 minutes and then about a week to prepare the Will(s) which will be sent to you to check and then if in order you need to come in and execute the Will at our office. Generally you do not need an appointment unless we say otherwise in our letter to you. We can only make a Will if the person is over 18 years old and has mental capacity to understand what (s)he is doing. If this in in doubt we may need you to obtain a letter from the person’s doctor. We can discuss this with you on the day of the appointment.
What about Financial Power of Attorney and the Medical Treatment Decision Maker Authority? The Will operates when you die. Financial Power of Attorney operates while you are alive. It enables someone you trust to manage your financial affairs in the event you are unable to do so due to age, sickness, convenience or travelling. It is a wonderful document in the right hands and a monster in the wrong hands. It is a very important document that needs to be discussed and carefully considered with your solicitor before being made. Like the Will, you make an appointment. We discuss the issues and then if you want to proceed we prepare the document and arrange a time for its execution with us. The Medical Treatment Decision Maker Authority is another type of Power of Attorney but it only operates in relation to decisions relating to your health and medical treatment, like an operation or course of medication. It is a separate document and you may not need it to be done depending on your circumstances. To some people it is a very important issue that they wish covered clearly in view of family conflicts or religious beliefs. Make the appointment and work through the questions and issues.
Contact us if you require more information.