Free Will Service provided by MS Society

Hello

Has anyone used this service? If so would appreciate your opinion of it as I am looking to make a will.

Kind regards

Giova

FREE WILL !!!

I just paid ÂŁ150 to our have Will rewritten .

FREE WILL !!!

How, where, who ??

FREE WILL !!!

Your having a laff !!!

Here’s the link: https://www.mssociety.org.uk/get-involved/give-in-other-ways/leave-a-gift-in-your-will/free-and-home-visit-wills

Useful. I suspect the Society want to make sure they are remembered in our wills so it’s worthwhile them providing a free service.

Sue

Ooops sorry!

Im sure that there is probably a catch to it or a hidden charge somewhere.

I might be wrong but I believe its one of those DIY Will kits.

You fill in everything yourself, ring for very basic advice if needed, send it back to be registered.

If you want them to do it all or amend anything, or check for errors, there is a charge.

But like I say I might be wrong ?

When we recently had our Will amended I was shocked to learn that if something is worded slightly differently how easy it is to effect how a Will might be challenged.

For example just naming persons on your Will to become beneficiaries does NOT necessary block others from challenging your Will.

If you specifically do NOT want a person or persons to become a beneficiary or be able to challenge your Will, you HAVE to specifically name those persons on the Will as NOT being able to become a beneficiary or to be able to challenge your Will, otherwise a probate judge can and will allow a challenge.

It so easy to think you’ve covered all bases, when out of the blue someone pops up and challenges your requests.

Writing your own Will can be a bit of a minefield.

You think you’ve done it all correct but you might of left yourself open ??

Its not until a qualified Will writer or solicitor points something out that you realise how easy it is to miss something or didnt realise how things need to be worded.

2 Likes

That is very important information and something we (OH and myself) had no idea of and yet we do specifically wish certain people to not inherit anything from us. Thanks for pointing this out. Our last wills were made with the help of a solicitor yet this info wasn’t mentioned. I’ve just told my husband and he’s suggested we revisit the will situation sooner rather than later (we were already going to change them slightly). Meanwhile we are aiming to spend enough money that there’s not much left!! Sue

1 Like

Ssssue,

We only found out when updating our and my father in laws Wills.

Without going into detail we were advised that its very important to actually name an individual(s) on your Will if you specifically want them written out as a possible beneficiary or have the option to contest your Will.

I think its something you tend to bring up with the Will writer as opposed to them asking.

Its hard if its a family member but sadly not all families are a bed of roses.

I know you should actually name the beneficiaries and not just say you leave everything to ‘my nephews and nieces’ or ‘to my children’ because someone may pop up and claim to be a relative. I didn’t know you could list anyone as NOT being a beneficiary as the fact he/she isn’t named means they’re not going to benefit anyway. I don’t think you can name someone and say they can’t contest a will.

An example could be : You only want a certain child to be a beneficiary so you name that child as the sole beneficiary, however that can then leave the option open for a second child to contest, asking why they were not named as a beneficiary, however if you specifically name the second child as NOT being a beneficiary, a probate judge would actually be guided by your Will if the second child tried to contest your requests. If you do not name anyone specifically that you do NOT want to be a beneficiary, the probate judge would have to allow that person the right to contest, especially in the case of siblings, sons & daughters. That is how it was explained to us. Our solicitor actually said “It would take a brave judge to allow a person to contest a Will, especially if the deceased had specifically named that person in their will as NOT being a beneficiary”.

This really is invaluable information jactac. I went and found my will to check we’d not stated specific people shouldn’t inherit. We hadn’t. My husband is really glad to know this too.

Thanks Sue

Still unsure that jactac is right here.

Omitting someone from a will means that they get nothing.

Even if you name someone and are very specific that they should get nothing it doesn’t preclude them from contesting the will.

Perversely to name someone as a NON-beneficiary might suggest they should actually be beneficiaries??

The way i understood the ‘free will’ system to work is, for one week in the year, Solicitors will draw up a ‘basic’ Will. and not charge, but suggest an amount…(probably equal to their usual fee), but the whole amount goes to the nominated charity. I think if the Will is a little more complicated, than a basic one, The Solicitor will charge and not all the money is given to the Charity For example if you asked the Solicitor to act as your executor, the Will part may be free, but the extra would be charged for.

Cracowian, if you don’t want someone to receive anything, and make it more difficult for them to contest, rather than just leave them out and not name them. It maybe better to leave them a nominal amount, say 50p. This shows that you haven’t just forgot them, but are leaving what you think they deserve… I’m sure my Sister isn’t reafing this, but that’s what i was told to do, to make sure she can’t contest.

I remember seeing a story on the Tv news, years ago, An old woman in London had died. She was a millionaire and has a small chain of properties. She’d never married and had no children of her own. Her only family were nephews & nieces, who never visited her, or even sent birthday / Christmas cards. The whole of her fortune she left to the Chinese restaurant, next door to where she lived. She ate out there several times a week, and considered the staff there her friends. The ‘family’ tried to contest the Will, but failed, the Courts decided they should get nothing.

slightly o/t - recent newspaper report says that having a solicitor as an Executor is not a good idea.

I believe they charge the earth Cracowian, but some people may have no alternative.