Ashtons Legal launches ‘good Will campaign’

Many people are unaware of the implications of dying unexpectedly without having made a Will.

The most common reasons people tend to give for not having a Will are either that they haven’t ‘got round to it’ or that they feel they haven’t got anything of value to leave behind. A recent report by a leading insurance company showed that a shocking 73% of adults with children in the household do not have an up-to-date Will. This means that the children could be left uncared for if the parents were to pass away.

This is one good reason why you should not put off writing a Will. Here are three others:

• If you are part of an unmarried couple, your partner will not automatically be entitled to anything on your death unless you have provided for them in your Will
• Should your partner remarry, your children won’t be provided for unless you have made a Will
• It may be possible to reduce the amount of inheritance tax your beneficiaries pay if advice is taken in advance and a Will made.

Ashtons Legal is once again running its ‘Good Will Campaign’ (Wills Week), which provides the perfect opportunity to make a Will and help raise funds for local causes.Our Wills Week will run from 25 February – 1 March 2013. The week long campaign aims to raise funds for three local charities, nominated by our staff: the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH), Headway and Big C.

For each Will prepared during Wills Week, Ashtons Legal will donate £100* to one of the three charities. The initiative will run across all seven offices in Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds (Suffolk Business Park and Guildhall Street), Felixstowe, Ipswich, Norwich and Thetford.

Alan Brown, Partner at Ashtons Legal said: “The implications of not making a Will are that the law will decide how your estate will be distributed and who should care for your dependents. Making a Will is a simple process and it lets your family know that you have thought about their future. It can also avoid the confusion and emotional strain which can be placed on loved ones when someone has not made their wishes known.”

“As well as emphasising the importance of making a Will, our Wills Week initiative will raise vital funds for three worthwhile causes. The simple gesture of making a Will can make a real and lasting difference to the lives of local people.”

For further information or to make an appointment, please call us or see our Wills Year page.

* Each £100 donation is worth £125 to the charity when they claim Gift Aid.

About EACH

EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk. The charity needs to raise more than £5.75 million in public donations each year to deliver its services.

About Headway

With branches across East Anglia, Headway provides a range of services, advice and support to people with an acquired brain injury, and their family and carers.

About Big C

Big C supports people affected by cancer and works across Norfolk and Waveney by providing equipment in hospitals and across rural areas, support groups and services through its two Big C centres, and world-class research.