Happy New Year but no Will?

When someone dies without a Will they are said to be intestate. What happens next is dictated by the law and in particular, the laws of intestacy. In many cases the distribution of assets may lead to a result far from that desired or intended.

One example is that the intestacy laws do not recognise unmarried couples. Therefore, an unmarried surviving partner would have no right to any of the deceased partners’ assets under the ‘normal’ law on intestacy. There might be a chance through legal action but there is no certainity of a successful outcome.

In the case of a married couple with children, the surviving spouse is currently entitled to the first £125,000 of the deceased spouse’s sole assets plus a life interest (an income) from the remaining half.

Just from the two examples above it can be seen that many problems could arise in these circumstances!

So please make New Year Resolution to make or update your Will. Use a professional specialising in Wills and Estate Planning to ensure that your affairs are in order.