Before you make an appointment to see your Solicitor, Will-Writer or Estate Planner to prepare your Will, it is a good idea to consider the arrangements you would like to make, in advance. This will make your visit easier and quicker..

To assist you, we have compiled the following list of information you are likely to require. The list is not exhaustive so you may want to make a separate note of any additional information or questions you want to ask.

YOUR DETAILS
Forename(s):
Surname:
(If you have changed your name, confirm the details with your Solicitor or Will-Writer particularly if the change occurred recently and some of your documentation is in your previous name)
Address - including postcode
Home telephone number:
Work telephone number:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
National Insurance number:

FAMILY DETAILS
Are you presently married? - Yes/No/Divorced/Separated:
Name of Husband/Wife/Partner:
Name(s) of children (include their ages):
Names of step-children (include their ages):
Other family (do you have anyone other than your husband/wife/children who is dependant on you?):

EXECUTORS
Make a note of who you would like to be your executors (you can choose up to 4 but it is more usual to choose two)

FINANCIAL DETAILS
Assets held in your sole name - detail your major assets together with their approximate value (this will help assess your estates liability for Inheritance Tax)
Your home, other property, bank accounts, savings accounts, bonds, trusts, shares, antiques, jewellery and any other items of value, etc,
Assets held in joint names - detail as above.
Businesses owned - (if so you may require specialist legal advice)
Property owned abroad (include country and whether held in joint or sole name)
Have you made a foreign Will? (again this may require specialist advice from a solicitor with expertise in that Country).

FINANCIAL LIABILITIES
Mortgages
Loans
Overdraft
Hire purchase agreements
Any other outstanding liabilities

FUNERAL DETAILS
Do you have any particular wishes i.e.: Burial/Cremation?

GUARDIANS
This should be considered if you have children under 18 - detail the name, address and relationship (as applicable) to you of your chosen guardians should your children be orphaned.

BENEFICIARIES
Make a list of all the people you would like to benefit from your estate, include their name(s), address(s) and what you would like to leave them.

If married or in a long-term relationship do you want to leave the majority of your estate to your spouse/partner?
If yes, detail any gifts you wish to make before the remainder of your estate is given to your spouse/partner. If no, do you want your estate to pass to your children and if so do you want them to be a certain age before they inherit (i.e. 18, 21, 25 etc) and if your children die before you, do you want to make provision for your grandchildren, or if you have more than one child, do you want the remaining estate divided equally between the surviving children?

Do you want to make gifts to extended family/friends/charities? If so provide further details i.e. are these to be specific monetary amounts or possessions?

Consider where you would like the legacy to go in the event the beneficiary pre-deceases you, i.e. that the gift be left to charity or the beneficiaries family etc.

And finally, request that your Will is registered with Willdata to give you the peace of mind of knowing that the location of your Will is safely stored on the Willdata National Database.