Although it is possible to draft your own will, it is not recommended as there is a risk you may not include the correct information or make errors that could have an impact on the people you wish to inherit your estate.
No-one likes to think about dying, but as we all know this is the one thing in life we can be certain of. Because of our natural tendency to avoid the subject, many people who really should make a will put it off. Yet having a will can be crucial to ensuring that your wishes about what will happen to your property are followed after you die. If you don't make a will, then the state will determine this on your behalf.
Making a will need not be a difficult or expensive process and it can afford you the peace of mind that things will be taken care of as you want once you are no longer here.
Legal proceedings can quickly become expensive. If you need legal advice but can't afford to pay, read on for some guidance.
There are different forms of Legal Aid, ranging from help with advice and paperwork, to family mediation, someone to speak for you in court or a solicitor or barrister to represent you in court. In April 2013, changes were introduced which significantly reduced the amount of support on offer, but if you are on a low income it is worth finding out whether you do qualify.
The number of people living with partners continues to rise with an estimated 5.9m people cohabiting in 2012, according to the ONS. Many people who live together wrongly believe they are living in a 'common law' marriage that would give them the right to personal maintenance and a fair share of assets if they were to break up. In fact, this is a myth.
If you are living with a partner but you are not married or in a civil partnership, did you know that the law offers you little legal protection should your relationship fail? This is because there is no formal recognition in law of co-habiting relationships outside of marriage or civil partnerships. If something does go wrong, it can be very difficult and expensive to win a fair share of property if your partner's name is on the deeds, even if you've contributed to the mortgage.
Mediation can be helpful for many couples in resolving their issues without needing to go to court, and can therefore be a good alternative to a potentially lengthy and costly court process.
Family courts deals with a range of issues, such as children who have been taken into care, divorce, adoption and domestic violence. From April 2014, major changes to the family court system have come into effect with the implementation of the Children and Families Act. The changes have been described as a revolution in family law.
An increasing number of divorcing couples are choosing to go down the DIY route, many perhaps mistakenly believing this to be a quicker, cheaper and easier route to getting their divorce. With the recent abolition of legal aid for divorcing couples, except in the case of domestic violence, the costs of using a solicitor to conduct the divorce process on one's behalf can seem prohibitive.
In recent years there has been a surge of online companies offering DIY divorces for a nominal fee, or fixed-fee deals to keep legal fees low. For some couples, particularly those who have managed to keep their relationship reasonably amicable, DIY divorces may indeed offer a cheaper alternative to using a solicitor. However, you both need to agree on a number of things such as how any children will be looked after, the reasons for the divorce and how any assets will be divided.
R A Savage & Co Divorce Solicitors, London are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority - SRA Number 72906
who can be contacted at sra.org.uk
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