Wills

A Will is a legal document that ensures that your wishes will be carried out when you are no longer able to make decisions yourself.

By making a Will you are making your intentions known to your family and the authorities in terms of who is to benefit from your estate (everything you own).

The information on these pages is prepared with respect to:

1. UK Domiciled and UK Resident individuals
2. UK Domiciled individuals but currently non-UK Resident
3. Non-UK Domiciled individuals who have UK assets (UK Resident or not).
4. Wills can also be prepared for other nationalities upon request.

For those living in the Middle East, especially in the Countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, there are additional concerns to be taken into account.

No Will is the same – you have unique circumstances applicable only to yourself. It is important that you make sure your Will Writer knows and understands your circumstances so that he/she can advise you on the best Will for you, taking into account your status vis-a-vis, UK Taxes, Inheritance Tax, property, partners, children and so on.

Why do I need a Will?

A Will is an opportunity to set out how you would like your estate to be distributed  and to let others know your intentions about: 

• Who you wish to act as Executor (administrator) and Trustees of your Will. They ensure that the wishes in your Will are carried out.
• Who you wish to act as Guardian of any minor children
• How you wish to make provisions for your partner and children.
• Who you wish to benefit from your personal items, investments and or property.
• How you would like your funeral conducted.
• How to provide for your pets or favourite charity.

A Will is one of the most important legal documents you will ever sign. If you die without a valid Will (dying Intestate), the law can decide who has responsibility for children under 18 and who receives your money, property, cars, pets and all your other belongings.

Who needs a Will?

If you are married, in a Civil Partnership, divorced or single, with or without children, if you have property or investments including pension schemes and life insurance, and even if you have pets that you want to have specifically looked after, you need a Will. 

What Happens if I Do Not Make a Will?

Although you may not like it, if you don't make a Will, the law decides who gets what.

Without a Will your estate will be subject to the Laws of Intestacy, which means that your spouse and loved ones may not automatically receive the full value of your estate as you would have wished. 

Making a Will is relatively straightforward and not overly expensive. 

However, in spite of this, many UK citizens die without a professionally written Will, causing delays, hardship and worry as well as unnecessary and costly legal bills.

How Do I Make a Will?

Once you have made contact with a Will Writer such as MEFS, a face-to-face appointment will be arranged so that your circumstances are understood in order to make sure you are getting the type of Will that benefits you and your loved ones the most. If a face-to-face meeting is not possible, an initial online meeting can be arranged.

The information required to formulate your Will includes: 

• Your name and contact details
• Your assets such as your income, any personal or company life insurance policies, property and any investments (stocks, shares, deposits etc.) held on a world-wide basis.
• Who you wish to appoint as Executors.
• Who you wish to act as Guardians to any minor children, both permanent Guardians and Temporary Guardians while you are living abroad.
• Who you wish to inherit your assets.

Once you are satisfied with your Will, it will need signing in the presence of two witnesses, one of whom would preferably be a MEFS representative. 

During this Covid-19 pandemic, arrangements can be made to have your Will signed remotely and guidelines will be provided on arranging this while ensuring the safety of you and your witnesses.

Storage of Wills

The whereabouts of your Will is important for your Executors to know so that they can get immediate access. We are able to arrange professional document storage and retrieval services.

Funeral Plans

Planning your own funeral may sound rather morbid, but it is your chance to make decisions about flowers, music and any other wishes, that your closest family may find difficult to do so when grieving. Funeral expenses can be written into your Will to be taken out of your estate which means your family do not need to worry about extra costs.

 

DON'T DELAY – WRITE YOUR WILL TODAY!