How many celebrities can you name that have died already this year?
David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Terry Wogan, Ronnie Corbett, Paul Daniels, Victoria Wood and Prince, to name but a few.
How many of them died leaving a will and their affairs in order?
I don’t know the answer to that, but I do know that Prince certainly did not leave a will and, because he was not married and had no children, the laws of the US will determine who inherits what, how and when. I read only this weekend that his vast fortune may well pass to his cousins, to whom he was not close.
The same is true in the UK: if you die without a will the intestacy laws will set out clearly who is entitled to what. These determine inheritance by reference to marital state and blood line only. If you are close to someone who is not related to you, by not making a proper will you may be leaving your inheritance to someone you would not want to inherit.
You may not have as much wealth to leave as Prince but, all the same, what you do have, don’t you owe it to those you love and care about to inherit it, rather than those distant cousins with whom you have nothing in common and you may not have ever even met?
With it being Dying Awareness week this week, there couldn’t be a better time to think about death, don’t cut corners and leave it to chance by not making a will – none of us know how long we have to live. It’s too important to gamble on leaving it until another day. A will is an important legal document and the wording needs to be precise to ensure your wishes are properly recorded and able to be put into effect when you die.
Please don’t delay – book an appointment to make your will today.
Lis Whybrow
Recent Comments