Wills

This is the person or people appointed to safeguard an individual’s possessions, pay their debts and ensure the instructions in the will are carried out.

An Executor can be anyone over 18 years of age, even if they are a beneficiary of the will itself. People who are leaving everything to one person usually make them the only Executor out of convenience. With more complicated estates, and where children are involved, we advise appointing at least two Executors. In some cases, it may even be preferable to appoint a professional executor such as a solicitor or a bank.

When children under the age of 18, or those with specific health or mental issues, a will can be used to appoint a Guardian in the event of the loss of a parent. This tends to only come into effect if the child or children’s other parent has also passed away.

The will and naming of a Guardian can lay out details of a child’s future day-to-day care, as well as information about any fund which has been made available to help with expenditure.

A will can be used to specify a person’s wishes concerning their funeral arrangements, including whether they want their body to be buried or cremated, and if they are willing for their body to be used for medical research.

Someone who dies without having made a will, dies ‘Intestate’, meaning their estate is distributed according to the rules set by Law. These rules do not cater to an individual’s specific wishes and can mean a person’s family members may benefit from assets when they wouldn’t ordinarily do so. In some circumstances, the assets of someone who dies without a will may pass to the Crown.