Free Wills? Nothing In Life Is Free
If you have been searching for Will Writing, Asset Protection Wills, or similar legal services online, you no doubt will have received sponsored posts on your social media feed from companies offering free Wills.
There are a number of different ways you can get a free Will – but is it really free?
You’ve guessed – the chances are that it won’t be.
Let’s have a quick look at two or three different types of free or reduced cost Wills you may be offered.
Charities Offering Free Wills
A number of charity organisations offer a free Will Writing service.
The obvious reason for this is that you may wish to give them a donation when you pass on, which as well as benefiting the charity will more than cover the cost of writing your Will.
Of course, you are not obligated to give them a donation, but who is then paying for your Will?
The chances are that while some people will be more than happy to make a donation, possibly substantial, a number won’t. It will be the people who leave the charity a donation who will be paying for yours.
Will Writer Acts As Your Executor
Some legal companies and banks were offering to write a Will without charging you for the service at the time the work is carried out.
Often, this would mean the company writing your Will would be appointed as the ‘executor’ of your Will. You could then be charged a fee that is calculated as a percentage of the total value of your estate when you die. Large or small, whatever that fee may amount to, Chambers & McClay would never advise you to agree pay any fee calculated on this basis as it could prove to be far more than you might normally pay for a properly planned and costed Will.
What’s more, Chambers & McClay will never ask to become the executor of your Will.
Free Wills Or Wills Sold At A Loss
You may believe that all you need is a fairly basic Will that is designed to simply cover the essentials. For instance, you may just wish to leave your estate to your wife or family.
However, there may be issues that arise when your Will is being written that then inflate the price.
For example, if the idea of an Asset Protection Will is introduced then this may well demand an additional charge.
As would writing in any special arrangements involving your children, particularly if one has a disability, for example.
It’s at this point you could find your costs escalating fast and you may well end up paying far more for your Will than you need to.
No Hidden Charges With A Chambers & McClay Will
Don’t get caught out by businesses offering free wills.
Here at Chambers & McClay we believe in offering a quality Will Writing service at the right price.
With a Chambers & McClay fixed-price Will starting at £149 including VAT we will discuss your options before you agree to do anything. This means that you will have a clear expectation of the matters that your Will includes and how much it will cost.
It also means that there are no hidden charges for additional legal services that you were not expecting.
We believe in transparent pricing – you can check out our prices here.
For proper Will Writing advice that focuses on your affairs and interests and gives you complete peace of mind, please call us on 08000 322 477 or email Chambers & McClay here and we’ll contact you.
Other Chambers & McClay legal services include:
Asset Protection Wills
Severance of Tenancy
Lasting Power of Attorney
Living Wills
More Information
Download our Legal Services brochure here.
To find out more please call 08000 322 477 or send us an email via this link.
Chambers & McClay is a member of the Society of Will Writers.