Making a Will allows you to decide who should inherit your money, property and possessions when you die. It can also help you protect your partner, provide for children, appoint guardians for young children and make specific gifts or charitable donations.Without a valid Will, your estate may be distributed according to the rules of intestacy, which may not reflect your wishes. A professionally prepared Will can give you and your family greater clarity and peace of mind.

If you die without a valid Will, you are said to have died intestate. Your estate will then be distributed according to the rules of intestacy rather than according to your personal wishes.For example, an unmarried partner does not automatically inherit your estate simply because you have lived together for many years. The situation can also become more complicated where there are children from previous relationships, stepchildren, property or significant assets.Making a Will gives you much greater control over what happens to your estate.

Yes. Being married or in a long-term relationship does not remove the need for a Will.Marriage affects inheritance rights, but it does not mean that everything will necessarily pass exactly as you would want. For unmarried couples, there is no automatic legal status of a “common-law spouse” in England and Wales.A Will can set out who you want to inherit and can be particularly important if you own property, have children from a previous relationship or want to protect particular assets.

Yes. Citywide Wills can provide clear, personal advice to help you understand what type of a Will is appropriate for your circumstances.

Yes, Citywide Wills promotes transparent fixed fees for Will writing. You can discuss what is included when you arrange your consultation.

The cost of a Will depends on your circumstances and the level of planning required.At Citywide Wills, a Standard Will is £220 for an individual or £400 for Mirror Wills for a couple. More complex Wills involving trusts or additional estate-planning provisions are available from £520 for an individual or £700 for a couple.Our fees include the Will drafting, advice relevant to your circumstances, a copy of the Will and attendance at the signing and witnessing appointment. There are no hidden fees.We provide Will writing and estate planning services in Warwick, Leamington Spa, Kenilworth, Stratford-upon-Avon, Nuneaton, Rugby, Coventry and across Warwickshire.

For a Will to be legally valid, it generally needs to be made voluntarily by someone with the required testamentary capacity, put in writing, signed by the person making the Will in the presence of two witnesses, and signed by those witnesses in accordance with the legal requirements.The witnessing process is particularly important. A mistake in signing or witnessing can potentially affect the validity of a Will.This is one reason why many people choose to have their Will professionally drafted and correctly executed.

It is sensible to review your Will regularly, generally every 2–3 years, and whenever there is a significant change in your circumstances.You should consider reviewing your Will after marriage or civil partnership, divorce or separation, the birth or adoption of a child, moving home, buying property, starting or selling a business, the death of a beneficiary or executor, or a significant change in your financial circumstances.Keeping your Will under regular review helps ensure that it continues to reflect your wishes.

Yes. A Will can include provisions designed to protect and manage an inheritance for children, particularly where they are young or you do not want them to receive a substantial inheritance outright at a young age.Depending on your circumstances, your Will may include a trust, specify when beneficiaries can receive their inheritance, and appoint suitable people to manage assets on their behalf.If you have children from a previous relationship, young children, vulnerable beneficiaries or significant assets, professional estate planning advice can be particularly important.

A Will and a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) deal with different situations.A Will deals with what happens to your estate after your death. An LPA allows people you trust to make certain decisions on your behalf if you are unable to make those decisions yourself.A Property and Financial Affairs LPA can cover matters such as bank accounts, property and financial decisions. A Health and Welfare LPA can cover certain decisions about your care and welfare.Having both a Will and appropriate LPAs can form an important part of a wider estate-planning plan.

A Will is an important part of estate planning, but inheritance tax planning involves more than simply writing a Will.Depending on your circumstances, estate planning may involve considering your property, investments, gifts, trusts, business interests and how your assets are owned. The wording of your Will can also affect how your estate is dealt with.At Citywide Wills, we can discuss the estate-planning considerations relevant to your circumstances and, where specialist financial or tax advice is required, recommend working with an appropriate professional adviser.

Citywide Wills provides professional Will writing and estate planning services in Warwick and across Warwickshire, including Warwick, Leamington Spa, Kenilworth, Nuneaton, Rugby, Stratford-upon-Avon, Southam, Bedworth and surrounding villages.Appointments are available at our Warwick office, at your home or online, depending on your preference.We offer a free, no-obligation initial conversation to understand your circumstances and explain the options available to you.If you have been putting off making your Will, start with a conversation.