DIY Wills and Do it Yourself Wills 

There is no need for a will to be drawn up or witnessed by a solicitor. If you wish to make a will yourself, you can do so.

However, you should only consider doing this if the will is going to be straightforward.

It is easy to make mistakes and, if there are errors in the will, this can cause problems after your death. Sorting out misunderstandings and disputes may result in considerable legal costs, which will reduce the amount of money in the estate. Mistakes can also mean an increased Inheritance Tax Bill and at worst render a will invalid.

Some common mistakes in making a DIY Will are:-

1. Not being aware of the formal requirements needed to make a will legally valid.
2. Failing to take account of all the money and property available.
3. Failing to take account of the possibility that a beneficiary may die before the person making the will.
4. Changing the will. If these alterations are not signed and witnessed, they are invalid.
5. Being unaware of the effect of marriage, a registered civil partnership, divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership on a will.
6. Being unaware of the rules which exist to enable dependants to claim from the estate if they believe they are not adequately provided for. These rules mean that the provisions in the will could be overturned.

If you DO insist on making a DIY Will you can download a template here. DIY Wills "kits" usually cost about £10.

We would strongly recommend that you do NOT attempt to make a DIY Will.

There are some circumstances when it IS advisable to use a solicitor. These are where:-

• you share a property with someone who is not your husband, wife or civil partner
• you wish to make provision for a dependant who is unable to care for themselves
• there are several family members who may make a claim on the will, for example, a second wife or children from a first marriage
• your permanent home is not in the United Kingdom
• you are not a British citizen
• you are resident here but there is overseas property involved.
• there is a business involved.

Unless your will is complicated then the BEST OPTION is to make a Will ONLINE. This will be much cheaper and faster than using a solicitor and only very slightly more expensive than making a DIY Will.

For only £29.95 you can make a fully solicitor checked Will ONLINE HERE.