With the festivities of 2017 at an end, a new year has begun. With this comes the New Year’s resolutions. Some may set their hearts on losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle whilst others may look to resolutions such as focusing on their careers and taking any opportunity that arises. Many have heard of stories where people have set their mind to tasks such as these and their commitment has only lasted until the end of the month, or even less than that at times. However, one resolution which many should be making is that of making a Will.
2017 has seen the passing of a lot of famous faces from legends of television such as Sir Bruce Forsyth and Adam West to musicians such as Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington. Celebrities are generally known to have a large amount of assets and no doubt as part of their financial planning, making a Will would have been one of the biggest pieces of advice they were given. This advice is important to everyone, no matter how big or small your estate, having a Will can help your loved ones that you leave behind hugely. Not only does it make your wishes clear but also means that you get to dictate where your assets go.
It is also important because not everyone’s family circumstances are the same and indeed over time these change. The famous singer David Cassidy died a couple of months ago, in his Will from 2004 he had specifically cut out his daughter Katie Cassidy. The two had a complicated relationship for many years but reconciled shortly before his death, although David had never managed to update his Will to reflect this. It is not necessarily known as to whether he would have wanted to change his Will but it raises something to think about. Most will think that once they have made a Will they don’t need to review this but as can be seen, circumstances change and your Will may need to be amended. Just because you have one, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check it at least once a year.
Time and time again you will hear people say they intend to make a Will, or even worse they don’t think they should have a Will yet because they are not “old enough” to justify making one. Currently, 1 in 3 people pass away in the UK without a Will. For something which can provide piece of mind for the foreseeable future in exchange for only a few hours, making sure you have a Will should be a simple resolution which anyone can keep in 2018.
If you need a new Will or feel it’s time to review your current one, please do get in touch with the team today on 01206 835261 or email us at [email protected] . Alternatively, you can also find additional information on our website at https://www.fjg.co.uk .