Free will writing in March for the over 55s.

[Al R]

Free Wills Month - Your Will Helping Great Charities (http://freewillsmonth.org.uk/)

Free Wills Month brings together a group of well respected charities to offer members of the public aged 55 and over the opportunity to have their simple Wills written or updated free of charge by using participating solicitors in selected locations around England.

The Free Wills Month campaign is on through March but appointments are limited – once the last appointment is booked the campaign will close.

To take part simply complete the two step process – postcode first then a few more details later. Once you’ve completed step two just select a convenient solicitor and call them to book your appointment – you have to call during March but your appointment can be at a later date.

[Tankertrashnav]

"Sorry, there are no participating solicitors within a 30 mile radius of your postcode".

Seems Cornish solicitors not keen to take part - shame, it seems like a great scheme.

[threeputt]

Me also in Wiltshire!


3P

[AnglianAV8R]

May I just give a few words of caution. I have some professional experience of these matters and would point out one very dangerous pitfall if you choose to leave something of your estate to a charity, particularly where property is concerned. Do NOT bequeath a % of any property. There have been cases where relatives wished to sell a property and the charity blocked the sale, intending to hold out for a higher price. Far better that you bequeath an amount, payable upon the sale of the property, whilst not giving a share in the property title.

I haven't even read the link, but it is often said that there's no such thing as a free lunch. If a charity is offering a free will, they have a motive.

[big v]

For those from Wiltshire and Cornwall who couldn't participate I would point out that the title says "Free Will Writing in March." I doubt that the largesse would extend even as far as Wisbech................

I'll get my coat!

rgds

V

[Al R]

Anglian,

I think it's a contra between various charities and solicitors. Solicitors will do it as a means of getting extra work and identifying extra revenue, I don't think there is any issue of charities being beneficiaries (unless you wanted to anyway). You make a good point though.

Trash, you don't have to see one in March - just get in touch with one. Make up a name and email addy, put in a location a little closer to civilisation and the next time you hit the big lights of Dorset, you might want to drop in on one you've identified? But yes - shame.

[Old-Duffer]

Sorry to be a snob. If you ain't made a Will yet, then you're irresponsible.


Pompous rant over.

Old Duffer

[dctyke]

I have a will but tried the post code. None in North Yorkshire either, sounds like they want you to press that 'CONtact' button........

[Tankertrashnav]

Sorry to be a snob. If you ain't made a Will yet, then you're irresponsible.




Or possibly you already have made one but your circumstances have changed, such as divorce (not in my case), acquisition of step children, acquisition of complicated assets, desire to leave a legacy to various others (including charities) who weren't mentioned on earlier will(s) etc. Lots of reasons why someone who already has a will might want to make a new one.

[Al R]

Even more worrying (these days), if you get divorced or your civil partnership is dissolved, your will does not automatically become invalid. So anything bequeathed to your former spouse or civil partner would still take effect as if you had died on the date your divorce was completed. If your will states that everything passes to your spouse, then it would be as if you died intestate (ie; with no will). But when you marry, the default setting is that any will that you may have made previously is automatically revoked.

[Pontius Navigator]

None in mid-Lincs either.

Now we have a will but when I checked with my solicitors I discovered that they were no more.

I tracked down the solicitors that took them over and they have no trace of my will. Now we have a copy but would that have been valid?

[Al R]

For probate, I don't think so. Is the new solicitor touting? If they accept that the loss is due to the previous solicitor, the fault now lies with its new owner. Ask them to find it or create a new will.

I found 2 solicitors in a 20 mile radius - not exactly brilliant.

[Motleycallsign]

I contacted the 'local' one given for me only to get a reply that ALL the allocated appointments had been used but if I wanted to make a will then I was invited to recontact them so incurring the full charge of writing a will.

[airborne_artist]

There is no such thing as a free lunch, and a free will might be not be very palatable either. Watch out for the will-writer appointing themselves as executors and then charging through the nose (normally ad valorem) to execute the will with the beneficiaries having no recourse or choice of the firm executing.

NatWest wrote my MiL's first will, and only when I read the small print did I see that they would have charged the thick end of £20,000 to execute her will even though her assets amounted only to a house (modest) and some capital left in trust to her children with her having a life income from it.

Before she lost her marbles I suggested she re-write it with the help of a local solicitor, who charged £350, including visiting her twice. He then executed it a year later at a cost of less than £5,000. The second will appointed my BiL and my wife as executors.

[Al R]

Watch out too, for banks charging inflated interest rates for short term probate loans.

[Pontius Navigator]

Al R, that is interesting. As I have the copy it would be possible to prove the prior existence. If they accept that the loss is due to the previous solicitor They neither confirm nor deny :)

Nor are they touting for business; they are not local to me and recommend I employ a local solicitor. My original family solicitor took instruction by mail and are named executors. Now that is a possible line of enquiry.