Wills and Trusts
Why people don’t make Wills
- No one likes to think about dying
- People trust families and friends to make sure their wishes are respected
- They think they don’t have much to leave so it isn’t worth it
- It sounds complicated
- The language may be difficult to understand
- There are more immediate priorities
- It costs too much
Sadly none of these make our death less likely, or make it easier for the people we leave behind.
If you have concerns about how a family member will manage when you’re no longer here, it’s especially important to think about protecting their interests.
Find out more about making a Will.
About Trusts
Leaving money or property to someone isn’t always straightforward.
If someone is vulnerable, e.g. because of a disability or learning difficulty, it could affect their eligibility for means-tested benefits or support. That could mean something you intended to help them actually leaves them in a more difficult position.
One way to guard against this is to set up a Discretionary Trust, either during your lifetime or in your Will. Relatives or friends can also leave or give money to a Trust you set up rather than to an individual, providing the Trust formally exists at the time they make the gift (if it’s set up in your Will, it won’t come into existence formally until after you die).
