Passing on Money - What happens if you don't make a will

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What happens if you don't make a will

Everything you leave when you die, less anything you owe, is called your 'estate'. A will sets out what is to happen to your estate. It is a legal document which, although it can be changed after your death, will normally be followed.

A survey by NOP Research in 1998 found that only 1 in 3 adults in Great Britain has made a will.

This proportion is largely unchanged since MORI carried out an earlier survey which, in addition, found that about one-fifth of wills that have been made are out-of-date.

Dying inestate

Dying without a will (called dying intestate) can cause unnecessary hardship for your survivors:

• Delays in trying to find out whether or not you did in fact leave a will and in tracing your possessions.
• Delays in the formalities required before your estate can be distributed.
• Your next of kin will usually be appointed to sort out your estate, and he or she might not be the best person to do the job.
• The law dictates who will inherit your estate and in what proportions.
  

Unmarried partners

The rules do not recognise unmarried partners (although a partner may be able to make a claim on your estate):

• The law may require legally binding trusts to be set up. These may be unnecessarily restrictive and expensive, especially where only small sums are involved.
• There may be inheritance tax on the estate which could have been avoided.
  

Another very important reason for making a will is so that you can say who you want to look after your children if you have a young family.

Warning If you do not make a will, your possessions will not necessarily be passed on in the way you would choose. This is a particular risk if you live with an unmarried partner. Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.