The Daily Mail are offering their readers the chance to get a free will with this Saturday’s issue. The, ‘Last Will and Testament Kit’ is being provided free by Lawpack and contains information to enable laypersons to complete their own ‘legally valid will, without the expense of a solicitor’.
Quite rightly, the Daily Mail are highlighting the fact that if a person dies without making a will, family and friends are left trying to sort everything out and assets may not be distributed in accordance with the wishes of the deceased. They are encouraging people to make a will so that it is clear who gets what upon death. However, there have been many stories where DIY wills have gone wrong and intended beneficiaries have been left significantly out of pocket.
The ‘lawyer approved’ kit includes a choice of three ready to use will forms for use dependent upon the individual’s circumstances, together with a guidance manual to ‘guide them through the considerations in making a will and the formalities of completing, signing and witnessing it’.
Worryingly, figures released by Co-Operative Legal Services earlier this year revealed that DIY wills were to blame for prolonged probate cases for 38,000 families a year, costing them up to 10% of the deceased estate to resolve.
With these figures in mind, are there any circumstances where a DIY will would make sense or should a person always seek professional assistance to ensure that there is minimal risk of mistakes being made in its execution and the will is valid?
What do you think about the Daily Mail’s offer — do you think it will be good for the industry by raising public awareness of the need for a will or do you think that encouraging more people to take the DIY will option can only lead to more potential issues later down the line?
