A legal document which allows you to express your wishes as to how your money, property and possessions should be distributed when you die. Choose a single Will if you’re single, widowed or not living with a partner. Choose a mirror Will if you’re married, in a civil partnership or living together (co-habiting).

• A Will puts you in control. You choose who will benefit from your estate (your property, money, business interests and possessions) and how much they should receive.
• You may wish to prevent certain people from inheriting and this can only be achieved by writing a Will.
• Dying without a valid Will means that your possessions will be distributed according to the laws of intestacy, which are out of date and do not consider the modern family set up.
• It’s far quicker and cheaper to deal with an estate where there is a Will than without one. Where there is no Will and as such no executors, then your next of kin will become responsible for your estate; these could well be people you would not have wanted.
• You may wish to leave gifts to friends, charities or other family members who might not otherwise be entitled under the rules of intestacy; you can only do this by making a Will.
• By writing a Will, you can choose how your children should be cared for and by who. Without this it could mean that your children are cared for by Social Services whilst the court decides who should look after them long term
• You can also choose your most trusted people to act as your executors. They will carry out your wishes and make sure your estate is given out as you intended.

By planning ahead and writing your Will you have the peace of mind knowing that, when the time comes, you will have done all you can to make life as easy as possible for those you have left behind.