Wills Solicitors

We can sensitively guide you through planning your estate to best benefit those you care about

Making a Will is the best way to ensure that your assets will be distributed according to your wishes after you are gone. While this can seem like a daunting task, our specialist Wills solicitors can sensitively guide you and ensure every detail is considered and accounted for.

Whether you have an existing Will that needs updating to reflect changes in your circumstances (for example following divorce) or have never made a Will before, our team of experienced Wills solicitors can help guide you through the process from start to finish.

How our Wills solicitors can assist you

Our Wills solicitors in Hertford can provide expert support for matters including:

• Drafting Wills and letters ofwishes to help individuals define how their estate will be distributed on death
• Updating Wills following milestone events such as marriage, divorce, having children, buying property or inheriting money from relatives
• Advising on the most tax efficient way to structure Wills and legacies
• Planning for multiple scenarios so that your interests and wishes will be adhered to, no matter how your future plays out
• Advising on charitable giving and legacies so part of your wealth can benefit the wider community

Have a question? Please read our Making a Will FAQs or get in touch.

Reasons to choose Longmores Solicitors for Wills

• Our Private Client team is consistently ranked in leading client guide the Legal 500 offering assurance of the quality of our will writing service in Hertford
• Several of the team are members of the prestigious Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), reflecting their high-level expertise
• We have the experience to advise individuals with significant or complex assets on the most tax efficient way of structuring their legacy
• We take the time to understand what and who is most important to you and examine a variety of scenarios to ensure your loved ones will be provided for when you are no longer around
• We keep things simple, always explaining everything in plain English
• We will be here if you have any questions or need to make any changes to your Will in the future

Speak to our Wills solicitors

To discuss your requirements with our Wills solicitors in Hertford, please get in touch.

01992 300333                     Ask a question

Making a Will FAQs

What does ‘testator’ mean?

The testator is the person who makes the Will.

Other key terms to know include:

• Personal Representative which is a person nominated under the Will to deal with the deceased’s estate (also known as an ‘executor’).
• Beneficiary which is someone who will be receiving something under the terms of the Will.
• Probate which is the process of dealing with the estate of someone who has died with a Will (also called ‘estate administration’).
• Grant of probate which is a legal document granting the estate administrator the right to deal with the deceased’s estate.
• Bequest/Legacy which is a gift left in a Will.
• Codicil which is a supplementary document that can be used to amend a Will e.g. changing the name of an executor (usually only used for small amendments).

What should you consider when making a Will?

When making a Will, you need to think about all of the assets you have that would need to be dealt with in the event of your death. It can be easy to overlook things, such as personal possessions that loved ones may disagree over. It is therefore important to make an inventory of anything you would want to go to a specific person or organisation, as well as any possible sources of conflict, before making your Will.

It is also important to know the requirements for a legal Will, to help reduce the risk of any dispute over the legitimacy of the Will in the future. The key points for a legal Will in England and Wales are:

• The Will must be in writing
• The testator must be 18 years old or above
• They must be ‘of sound mind’ i.e. able to understand the contents and consequences of their Will
• The Will must be made voluntarily by the testator, without any pressure or other ‘undue influence’ from anyone else
• The testator must sign the Will in the presence of two witnesses (who can not be beneficiaries of the Will or their spouses/partners)
• The witnesses must sign the Will in the presence of the testator

While it is not a legal requirement, it is recommended that you also put the date of signing on your Will. This can help to avoid any confusion about which is the more recent version of your Will if you have made more than one in your life.

How long does it take for a Will to be approved?

The time it takes to prepare a Will and have it witnessed, making it legal, will depend on the circumstances. If your requirements are relatively straightforward and you need a Will urgently, then this can potentially be achieved in a single day. However, it is more normal for it to take a few days to a week to get a legal Will in place.

Who is best to write my Will?

Technically, you can write your own Will or have anyone else that you like do it for you. However, we do not recommend this. Even if your estate and/or situation seems relatively straightforward, it is very risky not to have appropriate expert help.

Working with expert solicitors who deal with Wills day-in, day-out helps to ensure that your Will is legally sound and that no important issues or potential problems have been overlooked.

Many people do not realise all of the things that need to be considered when making a Will. Anything that is missed increases the risk of your estate not being dealt with as you might wish when the time comes and could make conflict between your loved ones more likely.

While there are many online Will writing services available, our belief is that using local solicitors for Wills will tend to result in a better service. A local solicitor is likely to offer a more personal service and be easily accessible for your executors and beneficiaries when required.

Does a spouse automatically inherit everything with a Will?

The testator can use their Will to nominate whoever they wish to inherit, which does not need to be their spouse.

However, if you have a spouse and are not intending to make them your main beneficiary, it is sensible to discuss this with them in advance. If your spouse is expecting to inherit and this is not your intention, it does increase the risk of them challenging the Will after your death.

If you are married or in a civil partnership and do not have a Will, your spouse or civil partner will generally inherit all or most of your estate, depending on the size of your estate and other factors, such as if you have children.

How long does it take for a solicitor to notify beneficiaries in a Will?

The responsibility for notifying beneficiaries of a Will when the testator dies will lie with the named executor or executors of the estate. While this may be a solicitor, it can also be a family member, friend or anyone else the testator chooses as their executor.

There is no time limit for when an executor has to notify the beneficiaries, but this would ideally happen early in the probate process.

One thing to note is that, once an executor has applied for a grant of probate, giving them control of the deceased’s assets, then the Will becomes a public document. This means that anyone can apply for a copy.

Our Will writing solicitors in Hertfordshire are happy to act as professional executors, helping to ensure that matters such as notifying beneficiaries are carried out in a timely fashion.

What is the average cost of making a Will?

The cost of making a Will can vary considerably, depending on the size and complexity of your estate, as well as if there are any particular challenges that need to be addressed.

At Longmores, we can typically offer a fixed fee for our Will writing service, so you will know the exact cost in advance. We will be happy to discuss our fees and provide a quote when you contact our team.

Speak to our Wills solicitors in Hertford

To discuss your requirements with our solicitors specialising in Wills, please get in touch.

01992 300333                     Ask a question