Making a Will ‘would give couples peace of mind’

Posted 11/07/2010

All British couples should make a Will as soon as they have assets together, regardless of their marital status.

This is the recommendation of Julian Knight, consumer adviser at the Independent, who explained in response to a reader query that not all assets will automatically go to a spouse once one partner dies if they do not have a Will.

He pointed out that while those in joint names will pass on to the surviving spouse, the estate – the belongings not in joint names – may not.

Under current law, up to £250,000 would go to a spouse if their husband or wife dies intestate. It could also leave the surviving partner being forced to give children a share in joint savings.

“A chat with a solicitor who specialises in Willswould give you both peace of mind,” Mr Knight told the reader, who had previously been unsure about the need for the document.

Last month, legal advisor Bradley Jacobs told the York Daily Record he thinks making a Will is one of the most important decisions a person will ever make.