How to make a will

There are several other things you can do in a will.

• Say who you want to be guardians of any children you have under 18 (under 16 in Scotland); if you don’t do this, the state will.
• Set up trusts and other arrangements to keep any inheritance tax bill on your estate to a minimum.
• Leave details of the kind of funeral you want.
• Leave details about what you want to happen to your pets.
• Say what should happen to your digital assets (such as social media, email and other online accounts).
• Name the executors of your will. These are the people who ensure the instructions in your will are carried out when you die.
• Make gifts to charity.

Who should have a will?

All adults should have a will but it’s particularly important once you own property, have children, start a business or have savings and investments. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland anyone 18 or over can write a will. In Scotland the minimum age is 12.

You can use a solicitor, professional will writer or online will writing service to write your will, or you can write your will yourself.

You need to be very careful if you decide to write your own will. It’s easy to unwittingly make a mistake which makes it unclear or invalidates it. A solicitor can ensure your will is clear and legally valid and can also offer advice on how to make it tax-efficient by reducing any potential inheritance tax bill.

How much does a will cost?

As a rough guide, expect to pay a minimum of £150 to have a simple will drawn up by a solicitor. For a more complex will, you may pay more. Costs can vary so shop around and get a few quotes first.

If your affairs are simple, you could use a professional will writer. They tend to be cheaper than solicitors but aren’t regulated in the same way. If you go down this route, make sure you choose one that is either a member of The Society of Will Writers or the Institute of Professional Willwriters.

Online will writing services are another option for simple wills and again cost less than using a solicitor. They vary in terms of what they offer so check you understand what service you’re getting. Some will offer phone support and will check your will before you sign it.

Changing your will

If you want to change your will you can either make a new one (which will cancel any previous will you have made) or alter the existing one by adding what’s known as a codicil.

You should review your will whenever your circumstances change such as getting married or entering a civil partnership, getting divorced, having a baby, buying property, moving home or receiving an inheritance.

Storing your will

It’s important to keep your will safe and to tell your executors where it is. You can file it at home but make sure it’s in a safe place away from the risk of theft, fire or water damage. If a solicitor draws up your will they will usually keep the original and send you a copy.

If you have written it yourself you could store it with a bank (although not in a bank safety deposit box as this is unlikely to be accessible to your executors), solicitor or private will storage facility for a fee. Alternatively, you could deposit it with the Probate Service (England and Wales only) for a small one-off charge.