Writing a will

Leaving instructions for inheritance after death
Making a will

Description

Writing a will involves formally documenting an individual’s wishes regarding the distribution of assets, care of dependents, and appointment of executors after death. This strategy ensures legal clarity, prevents disputes among heirs, and protects vulnerable beneficiaries. By specifying instructions in advance, it remedies uncertainties, reduces the risk of contested estates, and facilitates efficient estate administration, thereby safeguarding the testator’s intentions and providing peace of mind for all parties involved.

Context

If a person has not made a will, in most countries the division of their estate will be based on the laws of intestacy, (even reverting to the government) and not the wishes of the deceased. A survey in the UK found that only 41% of married people had made a will; altogether two-thirds of people do not write a will.