Wills ‘must be written to avoid legal disputes’

Posted 21/01/2010

Consumers have been reminded of the importance of producing Willsif they do not wish to put their families at risk of going through an expensive and stressful legal dispute to claim inheritance.

Professional advice site Unbiased.co.uk has called on people to consult solicitors over writing Willsafter revealing that dying intestate can leave families susceptible to inheritance tax and arguments.

It revealed that a third of those who are left inheritance by someone without a Will face legal battles to claim it, which can delay the process and incur unnecessary legal costs.

As a result, Karen Barrett, chief executive of the website, said that an up-to-date Will should be considered an essential part of proper financial planning.

She said: “Only then will they have the peace of mind that their wealth will go to whom they want and all of their assets will be allocated as they wish.”

This comes after the Fellowship of Professional Willwriters and Probate Practitioners earlier this month called on people not to put off their estate planning and to seek out a trained professional for advice as soon as possible.