Registering your will online is a great way to make sure there’s always a copy for your loved ones.
There is absolutely nothing in the law that requires a will to be registered for it to be valid. At Bequest, we register all of our Grow wills package with the National Wills Registry. You can simply write your will, do what you need to make it legal, and store it in a safe place for your loved ones to read later.
A will is your last chance to communicate your wishes with your loved ones, so we think it’s pretty important to make sure those wishes are heard loud and clear.
It’s very unpleasant to think about, but several family members may have a different view of your estate and how it can benefit the beneficiaries of your will. Especially if there are children involved, it is very important to speak clearly about your wishes.
If you wish to leave money to charities or specific organisations, then a will is the only way to make your wishes certain after you die. In the same way, any other division of your property to beneficiaries should be made clear in your written will so there are no questions about what should go to whom.
Another example of when a written will helps is in the case of someone who has been in more than one marriage or civil partnership. Wills can clarify how much, if any, of your estate should be distributed to any specific person, whether they are in your immediate family or not.
Imagine the stress of a member of your family who can’t find your will. If the person searching doesn’t know your will’s location, they may feel they’re not honouring your wishes. This could be traumatic for that person. Finding a lost will before or after death can be difficult. Here are a few reasons you may want to remember when trying to decide if you should register your will.
After someone dies, the family can apply to the probate service for a grant of probate. This begins the process of probate. If someone dies with a will they get a grant of probate. This means that the probate office are satisfied that the will appears valid. The chosen executors can then legally carry out the wishes of the will with establishments like banks, Land Registry and any other establishment that requires a grant of probate.
If someone dies without a will, the next of kin have to apply for something called Letter of Administration. Once approved, it’s used in the same way as a grant of probate but they have to follows the rules of intestacy when dividing up the estate.
There isn’t a rule that says you should register your will for it to be legal, it’s perfectly valid to keep it at home in a safe place. But it’s important to remember that it’s a bad idea to keep your will in a safety deposit box at a bank. This is because the bank can’t open the deposit box until your executor gets permission from the court to access it – but this can’t be granted without the will in the first place.
If you do decide to keep it at home, it’s a good idea to tell your executor where you have stored it. You may even want to consider writing the location down for them so they have a written record of where to find it in the event of your death. With us, there is also always a copy on your dashboard in case it gets lost.
By now, we hope we have convinced you to register your will. It’s relatively inexpensive, and the benefits far outweigh the costs.
Let us show you 3 more things to consider for sorting out your will.
Professional writers and services (like Bequest) make the process of writing and registering wills very easy. Contact a service, tell them what you want, answer any questions for more information, and your will can be sorted out in a matter of minutes.
If you think your will is overly complicated, or you have concerns about the process, then speak to solicitors. They can help you understand how to write wills that will take care of your estate, property, and loved ones.
We mentioned probate already, but it’s worth one more little thought. A fast probate case resolves in around 9 months. Being unable to find the will of the deceased could drag the process out even more. Why pass the responsibility of managing your will on to your children or family?
At Bequest, we offer a Starter will which is print-at-home, quick and easy to produce, but for £69, we can make sure that it is printed, bound and delivered to you while adding them to the National Will Register. This means that your loved ones will have no doubt of what your wishes are after you’re gone.
Your will doesn’t have to be registered to be legal. However, registration ensures your will can be found in the National Will Register. This will make managing your estate easier after you have died. Probate can be delayed by lost wills, so it is wise to register your will.
No, you are not required to register your will with solicitors. However, solicitors can support you during the registration process to place your will in the National Will Register.
No, it is not necessary to register a will. It is still legally valid after your death, provided the conditions for a legally valid will have been met.
The cost to register a will with the National Will Register is currently £30. This does not include any costs associated with writing the will. Professional will writing services can charge hundreds of pounds.
You can keep the original will as long as you keep it in a safe location. You could store it in a safe at home or with solicitors. Wherever it is stored, your family should know the location so they can find it after you have died.
With our Grow package, we register your will free of additional charge, so no need to pay the national will register fee. It is the most affordable way to make sure your will is checked and approved by a qualified will writer and registered accordingly.