You may know exactly what you want to include in your Will when organising your affairs and putting your estate plans in place, but it is important to ensure your Will sounds right and makes sense.
As these are your final wishes, you want everything carried out as stated in your Will, which is why you need to check it’s clear and concise.
What can happen if your Will is difficult to understand?
If your language is too ambiguous and vague, it can lead to your executors and beneficiaries struggling to understand exactly what you want.
It can confuse your family and friends, potentially affecting their ability to carry out the wishes you have laid out.
We know how much you care about your family, which is why your language cannot be complicated, as it can lead to your beneficiaries not receiving their intended inheritance if the language is too complex or contradicts itself.
The language you choose could force the hand of some of your beneficiaries who may challenge the content. The last thing you want to happen after you pass away is your lasting legacy being dragged through courts via dispute claims.
How should your Will sound?
Your Will should see your intentions laid out clearly and concisely.
Assets should be defined and assigned to the beneficiary of your choosing. Using simple and concise language will make the distribution process much simpler for your executors.
You may choose to include additional information about certain assets, such as cash sums or property. This should also be easy to understand, especially if you have included certain conditions about a particular asset.
Clear intentions laid out in your Will should make things much easier to understand and avoid the risks of potential disputes. Beneficiaries can invoke The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975 if they feel they have been wronged when your executors distribute your estate.
However, you can include an in terrorem clause within your Will that states a beneficiary can lose their inheritance if they decide to contest the validity of your Will.
While not always legally binding, in terrorem clauses clarify what can happen and should help avoid unwanted legal cases and family disputes.
Whether it’s leaving cash sums and property or digital assets and family photos from days out across the Essex coastline, the language you use has to be consistent throughout your Will to ensure your final wishes are respected and carried out.
How can you be sure your Will outlines your intentions?
The simplest way to ensure your Will is concise and outlines exactly what you want is to speak with legal experts.
The Palmers Law team is here to help you look at your Will and check that it is laid out how you want it to be. If it’s not, we can advise, support and help you update or create a new Will that does reflect your wishes.
We know how much your family and friends mean to you and they will not want extra pressures on top of mourning your loss.
The simpler your Will is, the easier it will be for your executors to distribute your estate. If you want to look over your Will, get in touch with our expert team.
