Can I write a will myself?

Yes, but you should be confident about properly expressing what you want to do in the correct legal terms and executing the will correctly, otherwise you may end up doing something you don’t intend or making an invalid will.

The rules relating to matters like how gifts are made, taxes and execution of a valid will can be complex and easy to get wrong.  As it is a very important document, many people choose to have their will made with a solicitor.

 

Who should witness a will?

There are important rules around how a will is witnessed and executed which are easy to break, making the will or parts of it invalid.  For example, a beneficiary or spouse or civil partner of the beneficiary should not witness a will. It is easy to get these rules wrong.  If you use a solicitor to draft the will, they should also tell you how to properly execute it.

 

How much should it cost to make a will?

Research suggests that the average cost of a basic will made with a solicitor is about £195.  However more complex wills dealing with estates that may involve Inheritance Tax issues, for example, will be more. It is possible to buy a will pack and do it yourself much cheaper, but you should be confident about what you are doing.