Making Your Will
Request a Callback
You can talk without obligation to a member of our wills team to discuss making a Will, what it will involve, and what it will cost. We now offer telephone and video appointments, alongside our office appointments, so that you can plan for the future from the comfort of your own home. If you would like to book an appointment with our team, fill in the contact form on this page or call us on 020 8771 5254.
Out of hours will writing service
In 2022, we launched our out of hours will writing service. We offer evening telephone or video appointments throughout the week up until 9pm, to help you to get your will written at a time that suits you. Call us on 020 8771 5254 or fill in the contact form on this page to learn more and book an appointment.
What are the benefits of having your will written by us?
- Bespoke advice – We will advise you the best way to achieve what you want based on your circumstances and situation.
- Avoid the pitfalls – We can often suggest better ways of arranging your affairs, or point out pitfalls that you might not have considered.
- Inheritance Tax advice – We can tell you how much inheritance tax may have to be paid when you die, and how to keep it to a minimum. – For more about inheritance tax, click here
- A clear and unambiguous Will – We will draft your will and ensure that it is easy to understand, using standard English.
- Free storage – When you have signed your will, we can store it safely for you until it is needed.
Learn more about the benefits of having a lawyer write your Will here.
Many wills are straightforward and simple to prepare. However, others are more complex and subject to unique personal circumstances that will need to be taken into account. These circumstances include: second marriages, children from previous relationships, health care and disability needs of surviving family members, or overseas connections such as spouses from different jurisdictions and the ownership of holiday homes abroad.
Our friendly and specialist Will writing solicitors can guide you through the process and ensure that your Will contains all of the necessary information to ensure your wishes are carried out as you’ve requested. We can offer solutions depending on your specific case, for instance, the inclusion of a trust within the will, advice on inheritance tax and guidance on guardianship of children.
What happens if I don’t have a valid Will?
A Will is a valuable document, but as it only comes into play once you’ve died, many don’t believe it to be a necessity. But not having a valid will in place can in fact cause a huge amount of cost, stress and upset to your loved ones in the long run.
If you do not make a will, then you lose the chance to decide who will inherit your property – the law decides it for you, and not always in the way you anticipate. You also lose the chance to minimise the tax that may have to be paid on your estate. At present, the intestacy rules do not recognise cohabitees who are unmarried and not in a civil partnership. If you live with your partner and have children with your partner, or children from a previous relationship, and die without making a will, your partner will not automatically inherit any of your estate; it would instead go to your children. Both your partner and your children will have to obtain legal representation in order to fight for a share in the estate.
Having a lawyer write your will is the preferred method of drafting your Will. This is because if you do not use a reputable and qualified practitioner, you may have unintended consequences as a badly drafted will may lead to difficulties and disputes for your loved ones after you pass away.
Have there been changes in your life? Don’t forget to amend your Will
Even if you have made a will, things may have changed since then, and it may be time for your Will to be reviewed:
- Someone mentioned in the will may have died already
- You may have got married, or divorced, or entered into or dissolved civil partnership
- You may have bought a house – if so, you should think about inheritance tax
- Your estate may be worth more, therefore you may consider being more generous
About our Private Client team
At Amphlett Lissimore, our friendly Will writing lawyers will put you at ease, explaining everything clearly without legal jargon. The team are all Dementia Friends and are committed to learning how best to support our clients living with Dementia, and our Wills and Probate lawyer based in West Wickham, is an accredited Lifetime Lawyer (formerly known as Solicitors for the Elderly).
Our Private Client team are based in Crystal Palace, Bromley and West Wickham, and we are now able to provide our services via telephone and video calls. If you would like to discuss any of our services further or book an appointment with us, please fill in the contact form on this page or call 020 8771 5254 and ask for the Private Client team.
Request a callback
If you would like to discuss our wills and probate services or book an appointment with us, please get in touch, or request a callback.