A Will is one of the most important documents that an individual should complete, but sadly many people simply do not get around to it and as a result risk leaving a complicated muddle for their family to unravel.
A Will can be used as part of an individual’s tax planning strategy in order to ensure that their estate passes to beneficiaries in the most tax efficient way possible. Another very important reason that an individual might make a Will is to appoint guardians for infant children.
However, not everyone will have a potential tax issue, or minor children, and for many the importance of making a Will lies in the simple fact that without one the winding up of the deceased’s estate can be an administrative nightmare – assets within the estate will pass in accordance with what are known as the ‘intestacy rules’ and may end up in the hands of people whom the deceased had no desire to benefit, potentially at the expense of those who he or she would have wanted to receive the estate. An individual may want to ensure that favourite relatives receive cash sums before the bulk of the estate is dealt with, or may want to ensure that their favourite charity receives a legacy. In some cases where an individual does not receive a deceased`s estate, or a substantial part of it, complex and costly litigation may ensue.
