Don t leave your family and children with extra costs and complications.
People who die without an up to date will, or intestate, result in complications and costs to their families and often gift thousands of pounds to the Government in what may be avoidable Inheritance Tax (IHT).
The Law Society says that anyone with assets and family or friends should make a will, no matter of their years. It is specially important if you are not married to your partner, because the law does not give partners the same rights of inheritance as spouses.
Property that is jointly owned by unmarried partners on a joint tenancy basis would still go to automatically to the living partner under the rules of survivorship. Under the current intestacy rules, an unmarried partner has no rights to assets or property that were not jointly held (although the Law Commission has recently proposed to change this).
Affecting a will is also critical if you have minors, as you can appoint guardians to look after them.
It is important to make a list of assets and debts and their approximate values. Include your property, investment, nest egg, insurance policies and pensions.
In addition, think about individual legacies. Simply telling a beneficiary that an item will be his or hers one day could cause trouble later.
You should get professional advice on IHT planning as part of writing your will. Simple measures could save the beneficiaries of more well-off homeowners thousands of pounds in taxation.
A vital component of forming a will is the appointment of executors to make sure that your will instructions are carried out correctly.
You should also your will every or so and whenever your situation are changed by a profound life event, such as marriage, split up or a birth or death in the close family. Another instance would be after a house buy or move.
Whoever makes up your will, make sure more than 1 copy is kept secure or deposit 1 with a probate registry.
Consilium offer inheritance tax planning advice in South Gloucestershire