Methods of Writing a Will

Let's take a look at what options there are when wrting a will:

DIY

Anyone can buy a pre-printed Will form from a stationary shop, fill in the blanks & have a perfectly valid Will, but as with all "off the peg" requirements goods purchased en masse, they are not tailor made to the Testators specific requirements. A Will is a technical legal document & it's not surprising that many home-made Wills end up in the courts due to their ambiguity.

Solicitor

The traditional method of writing a Will but certainly not a legal requirement. Solicitors tend to work normal office hours and would expect the Testator to see them in their office. They frequently include much legal jargon in their documentation which can be daunting and totally undecipherable to the Executors. Their fee structure can also be a little vague.

Banks

Many high street banks have their own Will and Trust departments. Some even provide a “free” Willwriting service as part of their customer packages. Often the customer is handed a form to complete and send off to the bank’s Trust Department for drafting. It is almost always the case that they will automatically appoint their own trust department as the Executors and ultimately this could cost the estate many, many thousands of pounds. When hearing about such services, think of the old adage “nothing in life is Free”.

Internet

Yes, you can now write a Will on line. For a pre-paid fee, the Testator is prompted for basic details and fed through a maze of questions, most are irrelevant to their individual circumstances and after a while they will undoubtedly start to skim through the questions and explanations without paying much attention, possibly missing a crucial question. This method of writing a Will is also open to fraud – the computer does not know WHO is actually giving the details – it could be a beneficiary who is making a Will for an elderly/confused person (for instance).

Willwriting Company 

There are many advantages of using the services of a reputable Willwriting Company:
  • Home visit service – convenient, less daunting, less time consuming and obviously attractive to people in full time employment, people with young children, people who are elderly or infirm.
  • Fixed fees with no hidden extras
  • Wills tend to have less legal jargon which is often unnecessary. However, this is (at the date of writing) an unregulated business and unfortunately not all Willwriting Companies are the same – many are unqualified, uninsured and unscrupulous. 
Additionally by using Boleyn Legal Services, all of whom are IPW members you can be assured that:
  • They have all have passed a written examination to prove their knowledge and expertise.
  • They have all completed relevant mandatory Continual Professional Development each year.
  • They must ajj comply with its strict Code of Practice.
  • All IPW members have Professional Indemnity Insurance of at least £2 million and Public Liability Insurance of at least £2 million.
  • All IPW members provide a first class, honest and ethical service at a reasonable cost and provide details of their fees in advance.