Making a will

What is an executor?
An executor is someone that you appoint in your will, who makes sure that your wishes, as detailed in your will, are carried out.

You can appoint anyone to be an executor, provided they are over 18, but as the duties can take up lots of time you should check the people are happy before you name them in your will. You can also appoint a professional to act as an executor, like a solicitor.

How do I go about making a will?
Making a will is usually pretty quick and easy, unless you have a particularly complicated estate. There are several ways of making a will:

• Given the importance of your will, you really should seek professional advice and get a solicitor to draw one up
• Some banks and insurance companies also offer will-writing services
• There are also many online will-writing services available, some of which are run by solicitors
• You can also buy a will-writing pack from many shops, but think very carefully about using one of these as a poorly worded will can cause lots of expense and stress for your loved ones after you've gone, and a wrongly witnessed one can be invalid

If you want to find a solicitor to help you make a will, call the Law Society of England and Wales on 020 7242 1222 or The Law Society of Scotland on 0131 226 7411. Both organisations have websites where you can get more information on making a will. Find them at www.make-a-will.org.uk and www.lawscot.org.uk

How much does it cost to make a will?
Getting a professional will written for a single person normally costs around £50-£70, and from £100-£150 for a joint will. If your will is very complicated the costs may be more, but your solicitor should be able to advise you of the costs before they write the will.

When do I need to update my will?

• If you get married
• If you get divorced
• Moving in with a long-term partner
• Splitting up with a long-term partner
• Having children
• Coming into a large sum of money
• When there are changes in the value of any assets that you own, like your home, jewellery, stocks and shares or antiques