It's inevitable that we will attempt some form of DIY in our lives. In many circumstances there will be that temptation to 'give it a go' whilst thoughts of "what's the worst that can happen?" run through our head but this can often end in disaster. A wobbly shelf or badly painted wall is one thing; but not leaving your hard earned money and possessions to who you want to is another. While on the topic of DIY, we are often asked - can I write my own Will?

As described in a recent Money Saving Expert article, a Will prepared by a Solicitor is the 'gold standard'. Contrary to the belief of Mr Lewis however; even for a simple Will, it may not be advisable to attempt it yourself.

What are the benefits of a DIY Will? Clearly, there is one obvious answer to this. MONEY! Solicitors cost money. Wills cost money. There is no doubt that by making your own you'll save a few quid. Ultimately, a Will is a piece of paper with your wishes and signature on it; you could prepare your own and it could be legally valid.

However, there are a number of benefits to a Will drafted by a solicitor:

Certainty

Quite simply, you'll be certain that your wishes have been reflected in your Will because you've had it professionally drafted. One of the easiest mistakes to make in a Will is producing uncertain drafting, leading to confusion as to who should actually inherit what from you. You have to remember that your family situation maybe different when you die from how it is now and the drafting of your Will has to be sufficient to cover foreseeable future changes.

Time

You could actually save yourself some valuable time by instructing a solicitor to prepare your Will. Instead of embarking on the process to work out exactly what you need to write down and how it has to be signed, you can have a solicitor do all of that for you. All you'll really need to do is have a think about who you want to leave money or gifts to, meet with the solicitor to discuss what you want and then ultimately read over the pre-prepared Will and sign it. Job done!

Expert Help

This is, by far, the greatest advantage of using a solicitor to draft your Will. Yes, you'll be able to count on a Solicitor to draft your Will correctly, but you might actually find that your initial meeting with them is far more productive than you imagined. If you have certain concerns, they can address them and more often than not they will bring up issues that you had not even considered. The basic idea of a Will is to pass on what you own to those that you love, but there are other considerations including; family arrangements, tax planning and providing extra security for any particularly young beneficiaries.

Value for Money

Now, a quick look back to the point about money. Yes, a DIY Will is always going to be cheaper although it should hopefully be apparent now that you actually get a lot of value for your money when having a Will drafted by a professional. As we've discussed, they may save you some considerable time and it may not cost as much as you might think. You can even get 'mirror Wills' drawn up with your spouse at a reduced rate for all you money saving experts out there. Solicitors will also store your Will at their office as part of your one-off cost. Who can say that isn't great value?

So if you are looking at your misguided attempts at DIY and think that perhaps you, or even someone you know, might wish more information on Scottish Wills, get in touch.