As we get older and begin to think more about our possessions and what will happen to them once we pass, we naturally consider whether or not we should register for a will. Many people often wonder whether or not registering for a will is mandatory, and the short answer is no, you don’t need to register for a Will. That being said, just because you don’t have to register doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.
There are a lot of stigmas attached to Will’s that make people think they only need one if they are significantly wealthy and have a large number of assets attached to their estate, but this isn’t the case. The fact is that when you register your Will, there are several benefits that come with it that you might not have known about.
It Makes Your Will a Lot Easier to Find
It doesn’t matter how big your estate is or what kind of assets you are leaving behind; making a Will is one of the only ways you can ensure your preferred beneficiaries will get the share of your estate you would like once you pass away. Your Will needs to be valid for it to be enacted; however, before it can even be confirmed as valid, it has to be found.
Finding someone’s Will might seem like an easy task, but it can be quite challenging. When someone dies, there is a lot that has to be done, and as such, remembering where a Will is kept can be difficult to do. One of the best places people can go in order to find where a Will is being stored is a Will register, as this will confirm, firstly, whether there is a Will in the first place and, secondly, where that Will is.
You might have told whoever you appoint as executor where you keep your Will, but depending when you gave them this information, plus whether or not they are around once you pass, will have an impact on whether or not this information can be retained. Even if you write down where your Will is stored for them, they could always lose this piece of information.
When you register your Will, you are ensuring that once you pass away, it is going to be easy for whoever is dealing with your estate to locate it. Once they have been able to do this, the Will can be confirmed as valid and be subsequently enacted.
It Keeps Your Will Confidential
Until you pass away, the fact that you have a Will and whereabouts your Will is stored should be kept confidential. Anyone who tries to access information about your Will before you have passed away should not be able to do so, as it means they could potentially try to manipulate the terms of the Will, so they do not reflect your wishes.
If you want to ensure you are keeping the contents of your Will, and whether or not you even have a Will in the first place secret, then you should be sure to register it. When you do this, it means that the details of your Will are going to remain completely confidential until you pass away. Even when you pass away, if anyone looks for your Will, they will have to provide a copy of your death certificate before they can access it. All in all, if you register your Will, then the only people to know about it and its contents are the people to whom you want to access that information.
You Can Avoid Nasty Surprises
If people aren’t sure whether or not you actually have a Will, then some nasty surprises can crop up if it’s too difficult for people to find it. As previously mentioned, many people do not register a Will because they believe it is something reserved only for the wealthy, so it’s not unlikely people will just conclude that no Will has been left if they can’t find one.
One of the major benefits that comes with having a Will is that you will be able to ensure someone you trust is dealing with your estate when you pass away and that your assets are going to be passed on to your chosen beneficiaries. This isn’t the case if you don’t have a Will in place, as laws have been established throughout the UK that outline what should happen to an individual’s estate if there is no Will left behind. These laws may not coincide with how you would like to distribute certain assets.
If your Will cannot be found and people assume that there was never one left in the first place, then again, the laws of intestacy may make it so that your assets are distributed to the wrong people. You want to make sure that there is absolutely no doubt about who gets what once you pass away, and the best way to do this is to make a will and then ensure that Will is readily accessible by registering it.
Do You Need Help Registering Your Will?
It is very important that you register your Will; in doing so, you will make it so that your Will can easily be found once you have passed away. This means that all of your wishes will be catered to once you have passed away, and your assets will go to the right beneficiaries. Not only that, but the contents of your Will are going to remain confidential until the inevitable happens.
If you would like help with registering your Will, then you should be sure to contact us at Norfolk Will Writing. We will be happy to get your Will written for you and register it so that it caters to your needs and will be easily found when the time comes. If you would like more information on what we can do for you, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
