It is particularly important to have a will in place if you own your own property, are married, have entered into a Civil Partnership, have a long term partner, have dependents or wish someone to benefit from your assets who is not a close member of your family.
By making a will, you can stipulate how you would like your assets to be distributed in the event of your death – giving you and your family protection and peace of mind.
There is a general misconception that if you are Married or have entered into a Civil Partnership that your spouse or civil partner will automatically inherit everything you own upon your death. This is not the case. On the contrary, the law sets out who gets what in the Law of Intestacy.
These laws may not represent your wishes, which is why it is important that you consider setting up a will to ensure that your wishes are followed. Furthermore, the law makes no provision for a partner if you are not married or in a civil partnership – even if you have lived together your entire lives.
