Does your Will require a ‘new sound’?

Many people will say my taste in music has not necessarily moved with the times. I still find myself listening to the bands I was listening to 20-30 years ago and was excited to have had the opportunity to see Blink 182 live again recently, having last seen them perform live 20 years ago.

Despite them being a band I grew up listening to, it was visible from the crowd that they attract a wide ranging fan base and continue to attract new fans, both of my generation and younger.

Bands such as Blink 182 and Green Day, who themselves have released a 30^th Anniversary albums of Dookie and a 25^th Anniversary album of Nimrod (the later an album I still remember buying in Virgin Megastore when released) have continued to make new music in a way that retains their original style, but has been adapted to the changes in their lives and within the music industry to ensure they keep themselves relevant.

The members of the bands have grown up and their lives have changed. Many have families, have lost friends and dealt with personal issues that have temporarily taken them away from the band. A lot has changed for them in the last 30 years and they have incorporated this into their new music and how they perform.

What about you? What has happened to you in the recent and not so recent years? Do you now have children or grandchildren? Have you got married or divorced? Have you had a health scare? How has your life and personal circumstances changed? Does your end of life plan need a review to reflect these changes?

I recently saw a couple who came in to see me in order to update their Wills. Upon review of their previous Wills, I noted that they were prepared in 1983 – 40 years ago (around the time the original pound coin was introduced!) – and during our conversations we established that their circumstances have changed to such an extent that they were actually horrified by the manner their 1983 Wills would have dealt with the estate. 40 years is on the more extreme side, but these clients are not alone.

When was the last time you checked your Will? Do the people you would want to benefit from your estate still benefit or, like my clients, would you inadvertently omit those whom you care about most? I recommend my clients re-read their Wills every 4 years at a minimum, just to check all is still in order, even if no changes are required.

Is it time to re-read your Will?

If you would like to arrange an appointment to review your Will, or to put your first Will in place please do not hesitate to me or the team.  At FJG, the culture of the Private Client team (and the firm as a whole) is ensuring that getting expertise should be accessible to all. If you wish to find out more about this, of if I or any of our team can assist you with anything I have raised in this blog, then please do not hesitate to contact us on 01206 835261 or via email [email protected].