Focus SWW Autumn 2016 | Page 11

1. Not registering the family home Not registering the family home. We cannot stress enough how problematic it can be if you lose your deeds and cannot prove how the land is held. It is much easier getting these matters sorted before death. 3. Not updating the will It is one thing to omit to make a Will: but what is more, many clients of ours failed to update their Wills after changes in circumstances (divorce, death of a child, change of financial situation). The effect of relying on an old Will in an everchanging world can be disastrous for those left behind. 5. Not taking out insurance A good policy could cover the funeral, the needs of your partner or wider family, and many eventualities for the probate process which might crop up, such as inheritance tax. 2. not making a will Intestacy can cause all sorts of problems for families, including delays, unfair distributions, and a concern that the deceased did not leave their estate as they truly wished. 4. not making amends We see many “broken families” or instances where contact has been lost between members. Quite often, we have seen clients who regret that they did not do more to reconcile while they still could. 6. taking that holiday Several clients of ours admit that they would rather not receive their inheritance: they would rather their departed loved one had, for example, gone to Turkey after all, had booked that cruise, or had enjoyed their autumn years more. There is more to life, after all, than money. The Society of Will Writers 9