21 Sep 2022 Community

Secure your family’s future this October with our Make a Will Month

Secure your family's future this October with expert advice and support from our Make a Will Month partners.

Making a Will can be a daunting thought and at times overwhelming. The subject of death is something most would like to avoid discussing but sudden death can happen to anyone at any time. Dying intestate can present its own issues for your family at an already distressing and upsetting time, that a simple Will could have alleviated.

There would be no need to action probate, questions surrounding what would happen to your estate, or who would deal with these matters on behalf of your family. All this and more would be set out in a legally binding Will, expressing how you wish for your legacy to be actioned in the event of your death.

We believe it’s important to plan for your future and The Kirkwood is here to help. As a charity, we Support Life. Planning helps to take the worry and fear out of what might happen so you can focus on what is important to you. Make a Will Month is about creating an easy and accessible way for our community, supporters, patients, and their families to make a Will. Partnering with local solicitors Bramleys, Chadwick Lawrence, Open Law, Ridley and Hall, Holden Smith, Ison Harrison, Jordan’s Solicitors, and Switalskis this October to help you achieve this.

Making a Will isn’t an easy thing to think about. It can be a daunting prospect, and not many people like to discuss their future. Some people don’t know where to start and others may think it’s too expensive or think they don't need a Will in the first instance.

Sometimes people don’t know what will happen if they don’t hold a valid Will. We want to change that.

We spoke to Paul Keighley, a residential partner at Bramleys, long-standing local surveyors and estate agents about the potential problems that could be encountered when attempting to sell the home of a deceased loved one.

"We come across this situation more often than we would like. HMRC regulations say we must obtain a copy of the title deeds of the property and then take identification from whoever is named on the title.

"If that person has passed away and not left a Will, we cannot market the property until the relevant person has obtained Letters of Administration and this can be time-consuming. It can also mean extra costs in keeping the house insured, and maintaining utilities.

"It also means that the wishes of the deceased party may not be considered, as to who they wish to have their property and assets passed to.

"Only a few weeks ago I came across this exact situation, a client had passed away, they had been estranged from their spouse for over 20 years. Due to the fact they had not left a Will, their estranged spouse inherited the property and assets, despite not having seen each other for all that time and sadly the client’s current partner and children received nothing.

"My strong advice is no matter what your age, make a Will, control what will happen if you do pass away, it will make matters so much easier for your loved ones."

Protect your family's future and start your will writing journey today: bit.ly/makeawillmonth22​

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