Why use a trusted advisor to prepare your Will?

Seema Solanki, a partner at Fraser Dawbarns Solicitors, and the current Chair of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Cambridge Committee was recently interviewed by the BBC about the importance of ensuring that your Will is prepared by someone best placed to help you.

With Will writing services not regulated in England & Wales, she believes in the importance of using a trusted advisor for such a key legal document.

Making a Will can be seen as a daunting task. Do I need a Will? Who do I approach for help? What happens if I die without one? How do I make sure that my Will is legal and valid?

Planning for the future and putting your affairs in good order to help protect your loved ones is an important task to carry out and review regularly. If at all possible, you should discuss your affairs with your loved ones so that everyone understands what you are planning and there are no surprises later.

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With this in mind, it is important that you use a trusted advisor to assist you with making a Will and looking at your estate-planning matters. The advisor should be appropriately qualified and a member of a professional body, such as the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). People should check the credentials and qualifications of the advisor they use.

The following pointers may be helpful:

• Shop around and do your research
• Don’t feel pressured with any one provider to do something that you do not wish to do
• Check that your advisor is a genuine member of a professional body, for example Solicitors are listed on the Law Society’s website; or if they are a member of STEP they can be checked under the ‘STEP: Advising Families’ website
• Check any terms and conditions provided to you, for example, ensure there are no hidden fees
• Above all, do not take things at face value: if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is!

Discover more about Seema Solanki

Unfortunately, poor legal advice can lead to issues after someone dies. There may be unnecessary tax bills to be paid, or the Will that was prepared may not do what was intended and could end up benefiting the wrong people. This can be emotionally exhausting and also very costly to correct, even if it is possible to do so. Distress and an additional cost burden on families may have to be faced if it becomes necessary to contest the Will after a loved one has died. STEP UK members were surveyed in May 2023, and the results showed that over half had concerns about unregulated Wills being made and the consequences which included additional costs being charged and false claims being made about avoiding care home fees.

Don’t let this put you off making a Will, but please take it as an opportunity to put your affairs in order – a step in the right direction!

How to contact us:

To contact a member of our team, you can fill in our online enquiry form, email info@fraserdawbarns.com, or call your nearest office below. If you’d like to speak to a member of our team at one of our offices across Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, visit our offices page.

Wisbech: 01945 461456

March: 01354 602880

King’s Lynn: 01553 666600

Ely: 01353 383483
Downham Market: 01366 383171

This article aims to supply general information, but it is not intended to constitute advice. Every effort is made to ensure that the law referred to is correct at the date of publication and to avoid any statement which may mislead. However, no duty of care is assumed to any person and no liability is accepted for any omission or inaccuracy. Always seek advice specific to your own circumstances.  Fraser Dawbarns LLP are always happy to provide such advice.