Why do you need a will?
When a relative or loved one dies, the challenge is not only coping with your loss but also attending to the numerous administrative and legal formalities which arise.

Making a will, however, is one very important way of reducing the administrative burden upon those we leave behind.

Making a will can ensure that everything you own will pass to the people you nominate. This is a vital consideration in the case of property, which might not pass automatically to your spouse or partner if you die without a will, possibly forcing them to seek alternative accommodation.

Tax is another essential factor to consider. Since 6 April 2008 Inheritance Tax at 40% is payable when your estate exceeds a value of £312,000. Many residential properties alone are worth more than this.

Also, if you have children, consider what might happen to them. Without a will you will not be able to secure any financial legacies for their future  and younger children might even become caught up in court proceedings to decide guardianship.

How we can help
At Sampson West we understand that this subject is often avoided, but dying without a will can cause significant problems that can be easily avoided by addressing the issue in advance.

If you are determined to minimise the burden on those you leave behind, have your will drawn up by an experienced solicitor, who will cut through all of the legal jargon to present a clear picture of what to do and how to do it - and will attend to the matter swiftly.

For clients wishing to write a will, Sampson West recommends the services of Nick Hall at Messrs. Moon Beever Solicitors in Bloomsbury Square.

Moon Beever's informative document, 'Why have a will? A personal plan for 2009' 'gives more details of the reasons for writing a will. Their will's questionnaire,' meanwhile, shows the information they would gather to draw up your will.

Special Spring Offer: £75 fixed fee will-writing
Contact Nick Hall and as a client of Sampson West and he will assist in the writing of a simple single will for a fixed fee of £75+VAT. (For a more complicated will he will quote a fixed fee before any work is undertaken.)

Contact details
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7637 0661
Email: nhall@moonbeever.com