Without a Will your lifetime's worth of possessions, property and money could be re-distributed by the Government. Though thinking about our own mortality is something most people want to avoid, leaving your worldly goods in the hands of the Government is perhaps an even more dreadful thought.

So it is surprising to know that 2 out of 3 people have not made a legally valid and properly drafted Will.

Writing a Will does not even have take long and once you are happy with it you can lock it away safely with the peace of mind that your wishes will be carried out.

It's time to think about writing a Will when the big events happen in your life, for example:

• Buying your first home

• Living with your partner

• Getting married

• Having children

• Becoming self employed

• Getting divorced

• Becoming a grandparent

If you have already made a Will it is also important to update it as your circumstances change for example, new editions to the family or a house move.

Writing a Will is too important to trust to a downloadable form on the Internet. After all this is the only document that details how you want to leave all your worldly possessions. After you're gone no-one can ask you what you really meant should there be any confusion.

At Wirral based family law practice, TNFLP, we offer a personal service that can answer the legal questions on your behalf to ensure you are happy.

We can take you through the issues of Inheritance Tax, who will be your Executor and ensure you have thought about all your options. This means that when you die, distributing your estate will be quicker, cheaper and less stressful for your loved ones.

We offer a fixed price Will service starting from £149 plus VAT click here to find out more.

When a loved one dies, the last thing you want to be dealing with is the legal issues this can leave behind, particularly if there is no Will in place. At the same time you will want to make sure their wishes are carried out properly. This process involves dealing with Probate and the administration of the estate. At The National Family Law Practice we are specialists in family law and our expertise will ensure everything is dealt with thoroughly on your behalf.

If you are the executor of the Will you may need a legal document called a 'grant of probate' which gives you the right to sort out your loved one's affairs. If there isn't a Will you will need to apply for a 'grant of letters of administration'. At The National Family Law Practice we will help you take these important steps and sort everything out for you.  What happens if no Will is in place?

This happens a lot more often than you may think and you should contact a solicitor as soon as possible. Without a Will in place, there is a formal process called Intestacy and this lays out clearly what will happen to the estate and who will inherit what.

First and foremost it explains who can actually deal with the estate, usually a close relative. This person will become the Administrator and once they have been appointed they will be able to deal with the organisations that need to be contacted such as banks, building societies, insurance companies and HM Revenue & Customs. 

Much depends on how organised the deceased person was before they died, however, without a Will in place the estate cannot be dealt with until all claims have been received. Individuals have the right to make a claim up to 6 months after Probate was granted. 

A year is not unusual under these circumstances, perhaps longer if things are not straightforward. 

We understand this is an extremely emotional time and the state of your loved one's financial affairs may not be something you want to think about. By booking an appointment and talking to us as soon as you can we can explain things in detail. 

If you do get a chance to bring some information with you, there are several things that would be useful to know:

What they owned and where it is.

An estimated value of any major assets i.e. property, jewellery, car etc. 

Whether they had an interest in a business or a farm.

Whether you think it is likely that there will be a claim against the estate. 

Free advice

We'll help by providing you with some initial free advice that will explain clearly what needs to be done and by when. This is free consultation can be at our offices in Hoylake or your home, whichever you prefer.

Handle the legal paperwork

You can then hand over any paperwork and we will sort it out quickly and correctly on your behalf. We will also deal with the taxation issues 

Regular communication

We will then keep you up-to-date regularly with what is happening no matter how long the process takes. Of course if you have any questions or queries you can contact us by phone, email or by calling in to our office. 

Peace of mind

It is possible to deal with all the administration yourself, however it also means you will take on the legal responsibilities and should this not be done properly it could cost you thousands. 

We are experts in dealing with the legal issues and administrative burdens left over when someone dies. We know exactly what needs to be done, by whom and when - we are also up-to-date with any changes in the regulations.