When thinking about making your Will, you may have come across ‘DIY’ Will services which propose a cheap solution. We’ve written this article to educate you on the dangers of this approach, as many of our customers have previously put their families at risk by using these services.

What is a ‘DIY’ Will?

A ‘DIY’ Will is a generic template which the Will owner is expected to fill out without any Will writing experience. The most important thing to know before choosing this option is that you are putting your family and estate at risk, as there is no guarantee that your document will be legally valid.

What is a Professional Will Writer?

Professional Will writers are highly trained and experienced specialists, who understand the intricacies of writing a Will. They’ll guide you through the process and explain the key points and instructions you’ll need to include to ensure your Will stands up in court across all scenarios, to protect your family and estate no matter what happens.

Once they have taken your instructions, your Will writer will then do all the leg-work for you. They take the time to write your Will accurately, using appropriate wording to ensure your document is legally valid and your wishes are secured.

WARNING! The Dangers of a ‘DIY’ Will

The only ‘benefit’ of a DIY Will is that they are extremely cheap, but there’s a reason for that – they can produce unwanted outcomes or be completely invalid. They often fail to offer any protection to your family or your estate, so although they may seem cheap for a Will, they are very expensive (and time-consuming) for a worthless piece of paper!

This isn’t scaremongering to tempt you away from a ‘bargain’. This is an important truth to share because families are being put at risk by these types of Wills. We’ve seen these documents in the flesh, as some of our customers come to us having previously made their own ‘DIY’ Will. Important clauses and instructions are often completely left out, and even when the main instructions are covered, additional wording is usually missing which is necessary to make those instructions valid across all scenarios.

Exclusion clauses can also be missing or written incorrectly. This can lead to unwanted parties making successful claims on your Will after you pass away, and your loved ones missing out on their rightful inheritance. If your Will is worded incorrectly it can make it invalid, or easily contested and overruled in court.

A DIY Will is also extremely time-consuming. It’s a lot of hassle, and you may not end up with a legally valid Will at the end of it all!

Why Should I Make a Professional Will?

A Will needs to be written by a professional Will writer because it may have to hold up in court under the scrutiny of a professional lawyer! Your Will writer will offer valuable advice throughout the process, and then write your Will accurately and professionally to ensure nothing is missing and important instructions cannot be misinterpreted, challenged, or invalidated under any circumstances.

A professional Will does cost a bit more than a ‘DIY’ Will, but it’s still incredibly affordable.  You’ll save a huge amount of time and hassle, and it’s the only way to ensure you create a legally-binding document that will protect your family and assets.

Who Should Get a Professional Will?

If any of these apply to you, you should use a professional Will writer:

• You want to ensure your family and estate are fully protected across all possible scenarios with a legally-binding Will that is guaranteed to hold up in court.
  
• You are busy and would rather trust a professional to write up your instructions for you in the appropriately worded way; accurately and thoroughly.

• You would like advice from a professional to make sure you don’t miss out any important instructions, clauses, or information from your Will.
  
• All of the above!

The Bottom Line

Making your Will is one of the most important things you’ll ever do. You want to protect your family’s quality of life, and ensure the savings and possessions you’ve worked so hard for can be enjoyed by the people you love. For a document that holds so much power and responsibility, it’s paramount you have it made professionally. This will give you peace of mind that your family and estate are legally protected no matter what happens.

Not all Will writers are the same in terms of quality, experience, or qualification. Our Will writers are experts in their field, and are fully regulated and accredited members of the Institute of Professional Willwriters – so you can be sure that the service we provide is of the highest quality. We understand how important your Will is to you and your family, and we don’t take this responsibility lightly.

To discuss your Will, call us on one of the numbers below or book a free consultation here. Together, we will protect your family’s future.