This March some of Scotland’s best loved charities are coming together to pay for Wills to be written free of charge by local solicitors in selected locations, including Dundee.
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Charities depend on gifts in Wills for up to half of their funding. But most adults in the UK haven’t written their Will. The campaign offers a free Will to those aged 55 and over to encourage them to have their Will written and consider leaving a gift to one or more of the Free Wills Month charities – although there is no obligation to do so.
March is Free Wills Month
This incredible free Will service operates across Scotland, but there are participating law firms in the Dundee and Tayside area.
Your Will is a very important document. It lets you decide what happens to your money, property and possessions after your death.
Key things to consider:
- Protect your partner if you are unmarried.
- Safeguard your family home.
- Specify your funeral wishes.
- Minimize inheritance tax payments.
- Update your estate plan following changes in marital status or other life circumstances.
- Select the executor of your estate.
- Designate a caregiver for your pets.
- Secure financial provision for your children and dependents and designate a guardian for young children.
- Consider supporting a charitable cause.
It’s recommended to either engage a solicitor or have a solicitor review a will that you’ve prepared to ensure it achieves the intended outcome. Errors can easily be made, and mistakes in the will can lead to complications after your passing. Resolving any misunderstandings or disputes after your death can result in significant legal expenses that will reduce the value of the estate. That’s why Free Wills Month only works with solicitors, members of the Law Society of Scotland.
What is Free Wills month in Scotland?
Free Wills Month started in 2005 and has spent the last 18 years encouraging people like you to have your Will written free of charge with a local solicitor and at the same time think about leaving a gift to one of our sponsoring charities in your Will.
It enables you to provide for your family and friends after you’re no longer here and is a fantastic opportunity to create a distinct legacy – a way to leave your mark on the world by helping great causes without it costing you anything in your lifetime.
Sponsored by ten charities – British Heart Foundation, Diabetes UK, Dogs Trust, Guide Dogs, Marie Curie, RNLI, Salvation Army, Samaritans, Stroke Association and Versus Arthritis – Free Wills Month invites those aged 55-plus to contact a participating solicitor to have a simple Will written or updated free of charge (the solicitor defines what is ‘simple’, and if your will is considered complex, you may be asked to pay the solicitor for the extra work).
There is no obligation to include a charitable legacy, but these gifts are vital to charities. Even a small portion of your estate can represent a valuable gift that allows them to continue their work – and the added advantage is that it costs you nothing now.
This free Will service allows everyone to be protected with a Will.
For full details of this free will service, including a list of participating law firms, visit www.freewillsmonth.org.uk. Select a solicitor from the list close to you and call to make an appointment. Your Will doesn’t have to be prepared during March, but you must contact a law firm by 5pm on March 31.
