Finance
In this the fourth feature , Paul Brady Dip PFS a partner in St James Place Wealth Management looks at Wills & Pensions
I am not married but have lived with my partner for 30 years . I want my partner to inherit everything I have .
should I make a Will ?
A worrying rise in intestacy enquiries highlights the problems caused by individuals who die without a Will .
Deciding who you would like to benefit from your estate , and in what proportions , normally starts with a Will . A Will spells out who will serve as your executor as well as who will inherit and under what terms .
Anyone who dies without leaving a Will is said to have died ‘ intestate ’. This means that control of their estate is handed to someone else , and then strict rules determine who gets what often contrary to the deceased ’ s wishes . These are known as the rules of intestacy .
Despite the potential for intestacy to produce an unsatisfactory and upsetting outcome , recently published figures show a rise in the number of families who are left having to deal with the consequences .
In 2015 , the charity Citizens Advice received 3,747 enquiries about people who had died without making a Will - more than double the number it received in 2011 1 . Furthermore , a poll conducted last year by YouGov found that nearly twothirds of UK adults have not written a Will . 2
YEAR
CITIZENS ADVICE QUERIES ON INTESTACY
2011 |
1522 |
2012 |
1942 |
2013 |
2626 |
2014 |
2500 |
2015 |
3747 |
It doesn ’ t matter that your relationship with members of your family was like when you were alive under intestacy , the law decides who gets what and how much . The rules of intestacy are outdated and often unsympathetic in that they don ’ t allow for modern family relationships or example , there is no financial provision for unmarried and unregistered partners . Furthermore , the rules only recognise natural and adopted children for the purpose of inheritance ; they do not acknowledge stepchildren .
As such , the estates of those who die intestate are frequently subject to legal challenges from financial dependants and relatives who don ’ t inherit under intestacy rules , but claim entitlement to financial provision . This can lead to long , drawn-out cases over who gets the assets .
Recent high-profile cases are a timely reminder of why having an up-to-date Will , executed by a qualified and experienced individual , is so important . Ideally , the individual helping you write the Will should also be able to advise on the most appropriate ways to structure assets so that any potential tax burden for inheritors is reduced or eliminated .
With the right help , Will writing and estate planning can be a rewarding journey , culminating in the reassurance of knowing that your wishes will be carried out .
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