Wills

Should I make a Will? Won't intestacy rules protect my family? It is important that everyone has an up-to-date Will. I am not just saying that because I’m a private client solicitor who specialises in preparing Wills! I am saying it because, in my job, I see the extra heartache and the legal costs when a loved one dies without a Will or dies with a Will that is not fit for purpose. Why make a Will, aren’t there intestacy rules to say who the money goes to? That is a question that I’m often asked. It is right; if you don’t have a Will then under intestacy rules your money will go to your relatives. However dying intestate means you don’t get a say over who your money goes to. In some situations it can mean that wealthy parents get all your money (creating a bigger inheritance tax bill when they pass away) whereas you might have wanted some of your money to go to a girlfriend, a nephew or to charity. It also means that it is more likely that family members will fall out over the money allocated to them under the intestacy rules. If you make a Will then you decide who gets your money. You can also put conditions on gifts, such as a child should only get their inheritance when they are 25 or older. You can also decide who should sort out your estate by appointing executors and trustees in your Will. The trustees can be given the power to advance money to your children if they need it, for example to pay university fees. In some family scenarios dying without a Will doesn’t create a lot of additional legal complications (although it may still create extra stress for family members). However in some family situations it does, such as: unmarried partners and families; where you have been married more than once; if you have young children who need legal protection, such as appointing a testamentary guardian in your Will ; if you are a business owner. Most of us understand the need to sort out insurance for our family and preparing a Will should be on the same ‘to do’ list as one of life’s essentials. I have a Will, does it need updating because of my marriage? When you marry any existing Will is automatically revoked, meaning that if you die your money passes under intestacy rules. Those rules may produce a very unfair result or a legal dispute between relatives over who should get what. It is therefore vital that you make a new Will when you get married or alternatively say in your Will that the Will is being made in contemplation of your planned marriage. I am getting divorced. Do I need a new Will? If your marriage is ended by a court order (like divorce or annulment) your Will is not void or invalid. What happens is that any gift to your former spouse takes effect as if he or she had died on the date your decree became absolute. That usually means the gift falls back into residue for the benefit of the residuary beneficiaries. Of course, if you had left everything to him or her, then the effect is as if you had died intestate and the rules of intestacy once again decide how your estate is distributed. Similarly, if by your Will you had appointed your spouse as an executor or trustee, the Will still takes effect as if he or she had died on the date the decree became absolute. Even if you had appointed him or her as trustee of a trust for the benefit of the children of both of you, or as a guardian of a child or children, the trust fails. That might not be what you want - although you are divorced, you may still like your ex-husband or ex-wife to be responsible for any children's trust fund. So it is best to make a new Will immediately after your divorce, especially if your spouse or civil partner was a beneficiary or a trustee. However, because your Will does not become invalid at divorce, you can make a new Will at any time after separation but before divorce so that these issues do not occur. You do not have to await the decree absolute. I own a property with my partner. I don’t own anything else so I don’t need a Will. There is more than one legal way to jointly own a house. If you jointly own a house as ‘’joint tenants’’ the surviving partner automatically inherits the property. However many co-owners buy a house with their partner as ‘’tenants in common’’. This type of joint ownership means that their share of the property passes by their Will or if there is no Will under intestacy rules. It is always important to check how you jointly own a house when preparing a Will. Can I write my own Will? Yes, you can but I wouldn’t recommend that you do so. That is because Wills are tricky legal documents. The consequences of getting the Will wrong can be legally expensive and stressful for your family. It can also add to the risk that someone might challenge the Will. The legal Court costs of challenging a Will are high. So , in my view , it is money well spent to get specialist legal advice to make sure your Will is fit for purpose and to get it reviewed when significant life events (such as marriage, the birth of children or grandchildren, divorce, new relationships) occur. [related_posts] How much does a Will cost? A bespoke Will drawn up by an experienced and regulated solicitor isn’t as much as you might think. Evolve is one of the first law firms to publish fixed fees for Wills. Take a look at our online price list so you have an idea of our charges before making a call or emailing us. If you already have a Will then you may want to get us to check and review it. That’s because family and personal circumstances change so your old Will may not be ‘’fit for purpose’’. Some people have complex finances and businesses and need in depth advice on trusts and estate planning or on domicile. However, even if your situation is not complex, it is be easy to fall foul of inheritance tax and that means your estate could pay more than it needs to in tax. Your old Will might have cumbersome tax planning clauses that are no longer needed and future expense can be avoided. You and your family may therefore benefit substantially from tax input. If you need advice on tax structures, trusts or overseas assets then please call me for a quote. Everyone needs a Will and as all of our personal and financial circumstances are different. That is why it is important that everyone takes bespoke advice, at a cost they can understand, to make sure that their Will meets their needs. If you need a Will or a Lasting Power of Attorney or want me to review your existing Will or Lasting Power of Attorney then please contact us.

Will solicitors say when people decide they don’t need a Will it is often because they think that the family home will automatically be inherited by their husband or wife. When people decide that they do need a Will it is normally because they are concerned about inheritance and the family home and want to make sure their partner can continue to live at the property. Will and private client lawyer, Chris Strogen, says that it comes as a surprise to many people that if they jointly own a family home, their share in the property won't necessarily pass by their Will (or under intestacy rules if they decide to not make a Will). Whether your share in the family home passes under your Will or not depends on whether you own the jointly owned property as joint tenants or as tenants in common. For expert estate planning and help with your Will call our team of specialist Will lawyers or complete our online enquiry form. In this article we look at: Joint property ownership and estate planning The family home and your Will Severing a joint tenancy The family home and estate planning options Reviewing your Will Joint property ownership and estate planning When you make a Will, it is crucial to check if you own any jointly owned property as joint tenants or as tenants in common with your co-owner. The jointly owned property could be: The family home A holiday home A buy to let property Investment property Commercial property Whatever the nature or purpose of the property, a quick check can establish if you and your co-owner (or co-owners) own the property as joint tenants or as tenants in common. The difference in type of joint ownership is very important because property owned as joint tenants is automatically inherited by your co-owners. Jointly owned property that is owned as tenants in common is different. If one co-owner passes away then their share in the tenancy in common owned property passes by their Will. If they have not made a Will then their share in the property passes under intestacy provisions. The family home and your Will Many people think they don’t need a Will as their house will automatically pass to their partner. That may be the case if you are married or you own the property as joint tenants. It won't be the case if you own the jointly owned family home with your unmarried partner as tenants in common and you don’t make a Will. That is because your share in the property will pass under intestacy rules and your unmarried partner will not benefit under those rules. Your unmarried partner might be able to bring a claim against your estate if they fall within the definition of a ‘dependant’ and there is a lack of reasonable financial  provision for them. However, that involves uncertainty and extra expense and worry; all of which can be avoided by taking private client advice, estate planning and getting a Will drawn up. Severing a joint tenancy If you jointly own a property with a co-owner, you may realise that you don’t want your co-owner to inherit your share in the property. For example, you may own a family home with your former husband or ex-wife or you may own an investment property with a sibling or friend. To avoid your co-owner inheriting your share of the jointly owned property you can sever the joint tenancy so you hold the property as tenants in common. You don’t need your co-owner’s agreement or consent to sever the joint tenancy. If you sever the joint tenancy there are two points to note: You need to make a Will as without a Will your share in the property will pass under intestacy rules. If you have an existing Will you should consider reviewing the Will to make sure that it is still up to date and that it is inheritance tax efficient and you have minimised the risks of your Will being challenged. If you sever the joint tenancy and your co-owner passes away, their share of the property will pass under their Will or under intestacy rules. If the joint tenancy had not been severed the property would have passed automatically to the co-owners. [related_posts] The family home and estate planning options If your family circumstances are complicated you may be concerned about making a decision on whether to make a Will or review your Will or decide on whether to jointly own your property as joint tenants or as tenants in common. You may be concerned about leaving your share in the family home to a new partner as you feel that need to balance the needs of your new partner with the needs of your children from a previous relationship. There are a range of estate planning options to help you achieve a balance that you are comfortable with. For example, you could give your partner a life interest in your share in the family home so they can continue to live in the property but if they sell up or pass away then your share of the property will pass to the beneficiaries named in your Will. Reviewing your Will You may have made your Will many years before you bought your jointly owned property or the value of your estate may have changed. That is why it is important to review your Will to ensure your share of your property passes to the person or people you want to leave it to. By reviewing your Will on a regular basis, as family and financial  circumstances change, you can minimise the risk of your Will being challenged and protect your loved ones. For expert estate planning and help with your Will call our team of specialist Will lawyers or complete our online enquiry form.

Most of us like to think that we have protected our loved ones after our death. That may be by taking out life insurance, paying into a pension that includes a spouse or partner pension if you pass away before your husband or wife , or simply making a Will. However, none of these actions may prevent someone contesting your Will after your death. In this article, private client and Will solicitor, Chris Strogen, looks at how to best prevent someone from contesting a Will. Can you contest a Will? Most people think that if they have made a Will setting out where they want their property and money (referred to as their estate) to go to, that their express instructions in their Will can't be ignored or overridden. However, a Will can be challenged. There are two potential ways a Will can be contested: An allegation that the Will isn’t valid. An allegation that the Will doesn’t make reasonable financial provision for a person who has a right to make a claim against the estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. This Act applies to estates in England and Wales. Stopping your Will being contested on grounds of validity If you get your Will prepared by a specialist Will solicitor it is less likely to face a successful challenge that the Will isn’t valid. A Will can be said to be invalid for a variety of reasons, such as: The Will wasn’t witnessed properly in accordance with current witnessing requirements. The Will maker was coerced or unduly influenced into making the Will. The Will maker lacked testamentary capacity to make the Will. For example, because of age or dementia or another health condition affecting their ability to make decisions or because they were receiving hospital or hospice care and on strong medication when they decided to make their last Will. It is part of the job of a Will solicitor to try to ensure that a Will is valid. They will therefore try to minimise the risk of a Will being contested on the grounds of validity by taking precautions, such as: Giving clear advice on how the Will needs to be signed and witnessed, and if you are planning to get the Will witnessed remotely because of COVID-19, clearly explaining if you can do that and how to comply with remote Will witnessing regulations. Ensuring that the Will maker’s instructions are taken, rather than relying purely on a family member or friend to pass on the Will maker’s instructions as to what should be included in the Will. If the Will maker wants to make a completely different Will to their previous Will or a Will that is perhaps unusual (for example, leaving their entire estate to someone they have just met when the Will maker has a close and supportive family ) then explaining the potential for the Will to be challenged and helping the Will maker write a letter to accompany the Will to explain the decision behind the new Will. Alternatively, an explanation can be included in a Will, for example, that provision hasn’t been made for a spouse because of a separation. It is important that family law advice is also taken as a spouse can still make a claim unless there is a clean break financial court order in place. Checking to see if there any health or other issues that might enable someone to question whether the Will maker lacked testamentary capacity when they signed their Will. If there are any question marks it is sensible to be cautious and obtain a medical certificate to say that the Will maker has capacity. Although someone can challenge testamentary capacity even where there is a certificate, the claim is far less likely to be successful if the point was addressed at the time that the Will was made. [related_posts] Reducing the risk your Will can be challenged because it doesn’t leave reasonable financial provision The best way that you can reduce the risk of your Will being challenged because it doesn’t leave reasonable financial provision to a potential claimant is to be totally honest with your Will solicitor. Sometimes people are embarrassed to say that they have a child from a previous relationship because of the child’s age and other family circumstances or don’t mention a partner as they don’t want family members to know about their partner. Whatever you tell your Will solicitor is confidential and they can't give detailed advice without all the necessary information about your family and potential claimants. In addition, your Will is private and the contents of your Will don’t have to be disclosed to your family. However, explaining your Will to your family may help them understand why it is fair and, in addition, after death a Will becomes a public record. A Will solicitor can advise on potential reasonable financial provision claims that you may not be aware could be made. For example, your estate may be left to your second spouse but your child from your first marriage may have a potential claim. Alternatively, you may leave all your estate to your children but a claim is then made by a former husband or wife against the estate as they were in receipt of spousal maintenance payments at the date of your death. There are lots of things that a Will solicitor can advise on to reduce the risk of claims, including the: Creation of a trust during your lifetime. Lifetime gifting. Creating a discretionary trust in your Will. Preparing a careful letter of wishes to accompany your Will so your trustees can exercise their discretion and hopefully avoid a dependency claim. Taking family law advice, for example, capitalising spousal maintenance or taking out life insurance to cover any potential spousal maintenance claim against the estate. In addition to advising you on potential claims against the estate your Will solicitor can also advise on IHT planning so your Will and estate planning is as inheritance tax efficient as possible, taking into account your family and personal circumstances. ​We are Cheshire Will Solicitors For legal help with your Will or estate planning call us or complete our online enquiry form. Evolve Family Law offices are in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire and Whitefield, North Manchester but we also offer remote meetings by telephone appointment or video call.

In this article, private client and Will solicitor, Chris Strogen, looks at what types of assets are subject to probate. What is probate? Probate is the legal term used for sorting out the financial affairs of the deceased after someone has died. In essence, probate gives the persons dealing with the deceased’s estate the legal authority to sell assets and pay debt and distribute the estate to the beneficiaries of the Will. If you appoint a private client solicitor in your Will as your executor and trustee they will still need to apply for probate in the same way as if you appoint a family member or friend as your executor. Probate is designed to protect your estate and to make sure that the estate passes to the people named in your Will and only those authorised to do so in your Will (or a solicitor appointed on their behalf) can action the requesting of probate and then administer probate. Is probate always necessary? Probate isn’t always necessary. For example, if the estate is very small and the estate doesn’t comprise of property or land, you may not need to obtain a grant of probate. It is best to ask a specialist probate solicitor if a grant of probate will be needed and how long it will take to secure probate. [related_posts] What assets are subject to probate? When a person dies their assets are referred to as their ‘estate’. The vast majority of assets are subject to probate. However, some assets may fall outside the estate and therefore not form part of probate. For example , a life insurance policy or pension may not form part of probate, depending on the wording. If assets were jointly owned by the deceased and another person then they may not form part of the grant of probate if the property was owned by the deceased and the co-owner as ‘joint tenants’. That’s because if a property is owned as joint tenants, on the death of the first co-owner the property passes to the surviving owner. This is referred to as the ‘right of survivorship’. The property therefore does not pass by the Will and accordingly doesn’t form part of probate. The situation is different if property or land is owned by co-owners as ‘tenants in common’. When making a Will it is important to understand the different types of legal ownership of property and land so you can make the best decision for you on whether to buy as joint tenants or tenants in common and the legal implications of doing so. If you bought a property with a co-owner and want to convert your joint ownership from tenants in common to a joint tenancy or from a joint tenancy to tenants in common, then it is possible to do so. If an estate includes assets that are overseas, such as a holiday home, it is best to take specialist legal advice on whether those assets will form part of probate. What do you do if an asset is subject to probate? If an asset is relevant to probate then it will form part of the estate for the grant of probate. It is the grant of probate that gives the executors (or the probate solicitors appointed by them) the power to: Discharge any inheritance tax due. Inform banks and other relevant institutions about the death and close any accounts. Sell or transfer assets, such as listed shares, a property or land or shares in a family business. Sort out any leases, such as leases of land or farm or equipment. Pay any debts. Distribute the remaining estate in accordance with the Will. We are Manchester & Cheshire Probate Solicitors For legal help with probate or with a Will or estate planning call Chris Strogen at Evolve Family Law or complete our online enquiry form. Evolve Family Law offices are in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire and Whitefield, North Manchester but we also offer remote meetings by telephone appointment or video call.

When you have suffered a bereavement, it can be hard to navigate what you need to do to sort out a loved one’s estate and their financial affairs. In this article we look at what a grant of probate is and whether you will need to obtain one. What is probate? Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person so that assets are gathered in, any debts paid and the estate distributed. If the deceased left a valid Will their estate will be distributed in accordance with the terms of the Will. If the deceased didn’t make a Will their estate will be distributed in accordance with intestacy rules. If there is an intestacy, the legal process of administering the estate is called ‘letters of administration’. Who deals with probate? The task of an executor named in a Will is to deal with probate. Most executors don’t deal with the probate personally but instead ask a probate solicitor to deal with the legal work for them. As an executor they retain overall control of the administration of the estate and give instructions to the solicitor. If the deceased died without making a Will, they died ‘intestate’ and the intestacy rules say who can apply to administer the estate and who will receive the estate. An administrator can ask a probate solicitor to administer the estate on their behalf. What is a grant of probate? A grant of probate is the legal document that gives the executor of a Will the legal authority to act. Without a grant of probate most third parties won't act on the instructions of an executor as they need evidence that the deceased has died and that the person contacting them is the authorised executor or administrator of the estate. How do you apply for a grant of probate? In most situations the grant of probate follows a set path, namely: The executor, or the probate solicitor instructed by them, gets information about the estate, including the assets and any debts The grant of representation is applied for An inheritance tax form is completed and, if necessary, any IHT can be paid The grant of probate is received The assets of the estate are gathered in (for example, shares or property may be sold depending on the terms of the Will) Any debts payable by the estate are discharged (for example, outstanding care home fees or utility bills on a property) The estate is then distributed in accordance with the Will or intestacy rules. Estate accounts are prepared to show the monies and assets received, debts and taxes paid and how the estate was distributed. Some grants of probate are straightforward but others can be complicated. For example: If the named executors in the Will do not get on If the beneficiaries of the Will are potentially going to challenge the speed or work of the executors in securing the grant of probate and distributing the estate If the validity of the Will is challenged If there is a dispute over the Will and questions over whether it made fair financial provision for a dependant of the deceased If there are likely to be complicated inheritance tax, CGT, trust or sale issues because of the size of the estate or the nature of the assets. For example, if the deceased died within a short time of making lifetime gifts or where the estate consists of a large buy to let property portfolio or some assets are overseas, such as a holiday home The family want to change the Will provisions through a deed of variation. [related_posts] Who pays for probate? Some people think that if they are named as an executor in a Will that they have to undertake the obtaining of the grant of probate personally. That isn’t normally the case as Wills enable an executor to instruct a probate solicitor. The costs of the grant of probate and the probate solicitor come out of the estate before it is distributed to the beneficiaries. The probate solicitors’ cost will depend on the size and complexity of the estate. Fixed fee or hourly cost quotes should be made available. At Evolve Family Law we believe it is very important that fees are transparent and publish a price guide on our website. For a bespoke quote please call us and we can look at the work you would like us to do. Is a grant of probate necessary? In some family situations, an executor or a loved one or beneficiary will question if a grant of probate is necessary. Probate solicitors say this question is totally understandable as no one wants to go through unnecessary processes. In situations where the estate is very small a grant of probate may not be needed. Whether you need a grant of probate or not doesn’t depend on whether there is a Will or not or whether a husband or wife is inheriting the entire estate, but rather depends on the size and nature of the assets in the estate. If there is a property to sell, a grant of probate will always be required. If you aren’t sure whether a grant of probate will be needed or not our Manchester and Cheshire probate solicitors are always happy to advise you on if a grant of probate is needed and, if so, the likely probate solicitors’ fees for securing probate for the estate. We are Manchester and Cheshire probate and Will solicitors Evolve Family Law specialise in private client law advice. For advice about a grant of probate or your responsibilities as an executor or whether you can challenge a Will call us or complete our online enquiry form. Evolve Family Law have offices located in Whitefield, North Manchester and Holmes Chapel, Cheshire but our private client and Will solicitors are experienced in working remotely and offer meetings by telephone appointment or video call.

Our private client solicitors will tell you that enquiries are rising about whether Wills can be challenged by family members and loved ones. In this blog we look at the grounds for contesting a Will.​ ​Can I contest a Will? When a family member passes away it is a difficult time. Your grief and distress can be increased if you don’t think that your loved one’s Will is correct. If that is the case, then it is best to take legal advice on the Will and whether you have the grounds to contest it. Our contesting a Will solicitors provide discreet, sensitive advice about your options.   What are the grounds for contesting a Will? You may be able to contest a Will if: The Will maker lacked testamentary capacity or The Will was not executed properly or The Will maker was unduly influenced to make the Will or The Will was fraudulent or forged.   In addition, if you’ve been left out of a Will or you haven’t been left as much as you need and you were dependant on the deceased, you may be able to bring a claim against the estate. This is different to challenging a Will on the above grounds.   Contesting a Will because of lack of testamentary capacity If the Will maker signed their Will at a time when they had lost their mental capacity to manage their own affairs (referred to as a lack of testamentary capacity by contesting a Will solicitors) then their Will isn’t valid. That’s because you must have testamentary capacity in order to make or change your Will.   Loss of mental or testamentary capacity means that the Will maker didn’t have the mental ability to understand what they were doing when they signed their Will and the impact that their actions would have on their estate.  If the person executing the Will doesn’t have mental capacity at the time that their Will is executed then, if the Will is successfully challenged, the estate will pass and be administered in accordance with their most recent valid Will instead. If the deceased hadn’t made an earlier Will then their estate will be divided under the rules of intestacy. It is therefore important to understand what would happen to the deceased’s estate if a Will is challenged as intestacy rules can produce unexpected results.   Contesting a Will because the Will wasn’t executed properly A Will may not have been executed properly as it wasn’t signed by the Will maker or their signature wasn’t properly witnessed by two witnesses. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic the government has introduced temporary remote witnessing of Wills if certain criteria are met. That has raised additional concerns if the Will maker is vulnerable. If the Will wasn’t executed properly then the Will is invalid and the deceased’s estate will pass in accordance with any earlier validly executed Will or, if there is no earlier valid Will, under intestacy rules.   Contesting the Will because the Will maker was unduly influenced to make the Will If the Will maker was under undue influence or was pressured or coerced into making a Will then the Will may be invalid. There may be a red flag over whether there was undue influence if the deceased was elderly or vulnerable and left their estate to someone they only met shortly prior to their death and the deceased had always said that they would leave their estate to family members or friends. Any challenge to a Will on the basis of undue influence has to carefully look at what evidence there is of undue influence, other than suspicion on the family member’s part, because to contest a Will on the basis of undue influence you need to be able to say that the deceased would not have made the legacy in the Will without being subject to coercion or undue influence.   Contesting a Will because the Will was fraudulent or forged If a Will is fraudulent or forged then it is invalid. Examples include forging the Will maker’s signature to make sure the Will is executed or destroying a Will so that an earlier Will is thought to be the valid Will or because under intestacy rules the fraudulent person will get the lion’s share of the estate.   Should I contest a Will? If you want to contest a Will on one of the above grounds because you have concerns about a Will then it is best to take legal advice. That is because challenging a Will can create tensions between family members or bad feeling. A contesting a Will solicitor can assess the grounds for challenging the Will, the evidence and your options. [related_posts] How do you contest a Will? If you want to contest a Will it is important to take action and obtain legal advice as soon as you are able to do so. That’s because there are time limits to contest a Will. For example, if you are bringing a claim as a dependant of the deceased the time limit is six months from the issue of the grant of probate.   If you decide to contest a Will then you can make a claim, referred to as a ‘caveat’, to the Probate Registry office. The claim means that the probate won't be completed and therefore the estate won't be distributed without your being notified and able to pursue the claim. The caveat lasts for six months but can be renewed if an extension is justifiable.   If during the period of the caveat you are not able to resolve the Will dispute by agreement then you have the option of starting court proceedings to contest the Will. When determining the application the court will weigh up all the evidence and that’s why it is best to take specialist legal advice before starting the litigation. That way you can make informed choices on whether pursuing the court case is in your best interests. Our Private Client and Contesting a Will Solicitors Deciding whether or not to challenge a Will isn’t an easy decision to make. For sensitive, pragmatic help contesting a Will call Chris Strogen at Evolve Family Law or complete our online enquiry form. Our offices in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire and Whitefield, Manchester are open for face to face meetings, however an appointment is required. We also offer remote meetings by appointment by video call or telephone for those who prefer not to travel.

Nowadays we like to think that every type of relationship is valued and that whatever the nature or status of our relationship we are all treated fairly and without any form of discrimination. If you are in an unmarried relationship the world has changed from a generation ago where there was still a social stigma if you were unmarried or had children ‘out of wedlock’. Although the attitude of society has changed to unmarried relationships when it comes to the law on Wills and estate planning the law hasn’t caught up. That’s why it is essential that if you are in an unmarried relationship you understand why you and your partner each need a Will. Wills and married and unmarried relationships When it comes to Wills and married and unmarried relationships unless you are a private client solicitor, or have had advice from one, you probably won’t appreciate just what a difference a piece of paper makes, namely your marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate.   If your relationship has the legal status of marriage or civil partnership then as a spouse or civil partner you have: Intestacy law rights if your husband, wife or civil partner dies without leaving a Will The right to bring a claim against your husband, wife or civil partner’s estate if they leave a Will but the Will doesn’t make reasonable financial provision for you Inheritance tax concessions as a spouse or civil partner Capital gains tax exemptions on transfers between spouses and civil partners.   If you are in an unmarried relationship then on your partner’s death: If your partner dies without a Will and intestacy rules apply then an unmarried partner will not get an automatic share of the estate. That means you could be left with nothing unless you are able to make a court claim against the estate An unmarried partner can only bring a claim against the estate of their partner if the partner died intestate without leaving a Will or they left a Will but reasonable financial provision wasn’t made for them in the Will and they fall within one of two categories, namely, a person who for two years prior to the death of their partner was living with the deceased as spouse or civil partner although not married or if the unmarried partner was being maintained by the deceased prior to the deceased’s death. That means an unmarried partner has to either prove a two-year relationship or dependency on the deceased If an unmarried partner receives an inheritance or lifetime gifts there are no specific inheritance tax or capital gains tax exemptions or allowances.   As cohabitation is an increasingly popular form of relationship and because many adults in the UK don’t have a Will there are many people in unmarried relationships who will be left in a financially vulnerable position on their partner’s death.   Some people assume that they won’t have this problem as they are a ‘common law’ husband or wife or because they have been in a relationship with their partner for over three or five years. These are all myths. There is no legal concept of a common law husband or wife as, in the law, you are either treated as married or unmarried. [related_posts] What happens if my unmarried partner dies without leaving a Will? If your unmarried partner dies without making a Will then their estate will pass under intestacy provisions. These are set out in statute and the intestacy rules say that the deceased’s estate will pass to: The deceased’s child or if there is more than one child the estate will be shared equally between the children (or their descendants). The child or children (or grandchildren) can get their inheritance when they reach the age of eighteen or If the deceased doesn’t have any children or grandchildren then their estate will pass to their parents or if the parents have already passed away to any siblings or, if none, to more distant relatives.   The intestacy rules can be challenged if you were in a cohabiting relationship for at least two years or you were financially dependent on your partner but that means court litigation against your children or your partner’s relatives.   What happens if an unmarried partner makes a Will? A Will sets out who should receive an estate or be left a gift out of the estate. If your partner leaves his or her estate to you as you are in an unmarried relationship then the Will makes things a lot less complicated and far less stressful. Instead of having to make a court claim you are entitled to the estate or gift. The legacy can only be challenged if another person successfully brings a claim against the estate, for example, saying that your partner did not have capacity to make the Will at the time that the Will was executed by them because of a dementia diagnosis.   Will solicitors say that if you are in an unmarried relationship it is best to have a conversation with your partner so that you both know where you stand and to make Wills so that you and your family are protected in case your unmarried relationship is brought to an end by the death of your partner. Our Manchester and Cheshire Will solicitors Evolve Family Law specialise in family law and private client law advice. For advice about a new Will or changing your existing Will call us or complete our online enquiry form. Evolve Family Law have offices located in Whitefield, North Manchester and Holmes Chapel, Cheshire but our private client and Will solicitors are experienced in working remotely and are offer meetings by telephone appointment or video call.

If you aren’t a Cheshire Will solicitor you may not know where to start with making your Will. In this blog we look at how to make a Will, something that we should all do to protect our loved ones.   It is easy to keep putting off making a Will because you have too much to do or you aren’t sure what to put in your Will but a Will is something that we should all have. Covid-19 has emphasised the need to make a Will although some people believe it isn’t possible to make a Will if you can't see a solicitor because of lockdown or the Covid-19 tier system. Most private client solicitors are working remotely so if you do want a Will writing for you then coronavirus shouldn’t put you off as your Will instructions can be taken over the phone or by skype to ensure that you have an up to date Will that reflects your wishes.   Covid-19 - can I still make a Will? Nowadays Covid-19 comes into most conversations and it is no different when private client Will solicitors are asked questions about making a Will. Many people assume that if they are shielding or social distancing that they’ll have to wait to make or change their Will but that certainly isn’t the case. If you are not comfortable with an office appointment then the Will solicitors at Evolve Family Law can arrange either a telephone or video appointment, whatever suits you best.   During any remote appointment our Will solicitors take the same care and pay the same attention to detail to make sure that you understand your Will options and ensure that your Will leaves your estate to your loved ones.   You may also be concerned about how your Will can be completed if you are trying to maintain social distancing or comply with government regulations. We can talk you through how your Will can be executed, including the option of having your Will witnessed remotely. That’s because the government has authorised the remote witnessing of Wills on a temporary basis and provided safeguards are met.   What do I need to make a Will? You don’t need anything to take the first step of making a Will as a Will solicitor can either talk you through the information they need to prepare the Will for you or alternatively, if you prefer, they can send you a Will questionnaire for you to complete.   The main things that a Will solicitor needs to know in order to advise you on your Will and prepare it for you are: Roughly how much is your estate worth - you don’t need to get anything valued as all your Will solicitor needs is a very approximate ball park figure so they know if inheritance tax will be relevant to your estate Whether all of your assets are in the UK - if you own property overseas then you may need another Will to cover your overseas based property Whether any of your assets are jointly owned - if you own property jointly, for example, with a wife, husband or civil partner, then your share in the property may pass outside of your Will unless you sever the joint tenancy Whether you have any dependants - a dependant could be a former husband or wife who is receiving spousal maintenance from you, a child receiving child support, an adult child who is financially reliant on you or your cohabitee or partner. Whilst you can leave your estate to who you want as there is no legal requirement to leave all or a share of your estate to your dependants or family members, a Will solicitor can advise you on the prospects of a dependant trying to contest your Will and how to reduce the risk that your Will might be contested Whether you have any children or planned beneficiaries under the age of eighteen - if you do then you may want to consider the appointment of testamentary guardians in your Will for your children. You will also need to consider leaving money in trust for your children or minor beneficiaries The planned executors of your Will and beneficiaries- if you haven’t made any final decisions about your choice of executors (the people named in your Will as responsible for administering and distributing your estate) then don’t worry as your Will solicitor can discuss your options, including the appointment of family members, your solicitor or another professional as executor. When it comes to beneficiaries your Will solicitor can talk you through your options and make sure that your Will is as ‘future proofed’ as possible so that if ,for example, you want to leave all your estate to your husband or wife or a share of your estate to an older sibling there are ‘substitution gifts’ in your Will. That means that if your spouse predeceases you their legacy is shared, for example, between your children or in the case of your sibling between your nephews and nieces. Alternatively the gift can fall back into your estate and form part of the legacy to your residuary beneficiary or beneficiaries. [related_posts] When to make a Will Will solicitors say that it is never too early to make a Will or, if you have an existing Will, it is equally important to make sure that the Will is up to date and still reflects your wishes.   At any important life event you should consider making or changing your Will. Life events include: Buying your first house – whether on your own or jointly with a partner When you get engaged to marry or enter a civil partnership When you sign a prenuptial agreement When you have children or adopt If you separate or divorce from a husband, wife or partner If you form a new relationship or remarry If you suffer ill health On retirement If you receive a legacy or inheritance.   There are many other scenarios when you should consider making or changing your Will, such as the death of a beneficiary or an executor to your Will. Making a Will can be a very positive experience for you because: It makes you feel that you have taken steps to protect family members and loved ones You can say who you would like to administer your estate through the appointment of executors of your Will You can safeguard young children with the appointment of a testamentary guardian You can use your Will and estate planning to minimise your estate’s liability to inheritance tax.   How to make a Will The easiest way to make a Will or to change an existing Will is to speak to an experienced private client and Will solicitor. They can look at your goals and objectives and work out how best to achieve them. This may include: Lifetime gifting Inheritance tax planning Lifetime trusts Trusts created in your Will and the flexibility and guidance issued to your trustees with discretionary trusts The structure of legacies and the disposal of your residuary estate Contingency legacies so, for example, a grandchild or children, will receive a legacy instead of their parent if their parent sadly passes away before you do so. Carefully drafted contingency legacies means that your Will doesn’t have to keep being rewritten on the birth of a new grandchild How to try and ensure that the Will isn’t challenged or contested by a dependant leading to litigation against your estate. This can be achieved by carefully assessing what, if any, dependency claims can be brought against your estate and how to minimise the risk of a successful claim.   How long does it take to make a Will? The role of a private client and Will solicitor is to make the Will process as simple for you as possible. It is possible to make a Will in a matter of hours but you may, depending on your family circumstances, want to reflect on private client and Will advice before finalising your Will.   Your Will isn’t effective until it is executed. That involves your signing your Will witnessed by two witnesses. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic the government has temporarily relaxed the rules on witnessing Wills and now allows for a Will to be remotely witnessed to ensure that you can still execute a Will whether or not you are in a Covid-19 related lockdown.   The best way to make a Will is to take the step of picking up the phone and speaking to a friendly and approachable private client and Will solicitor about your options so that you can achieve a well drafted Will that protects your family and gives you peace of mind. We are Cheshire private client and Will solicitors For assistance making or changing your Will or estate planning call Chris Strogen at Evolve Family Law or complete our online enquiry form. Evolve Family Law has offices in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire and Whitefield, Manchester but an appointment at the office isn’t needed to make a Will as Evolve Family Law offers remote meetings by either telephone or video call appointment.