The Rules of Intestacy

 

If someone dies without leaving a Will, they are said to die intestate.  Under the laws of intestacy the state decides who should inherit their estate.  This may not be how the deceased would have liked to distribute their estate, so it is beneficial to make a Will.  If it is left to the Law to decide, the deceased’s successes may benefit a distant or disliked relative or even the Crown.  A Will should seriously be considered, especially if any of the following circumstances apply to them:

 

They are legally married and wish their spouse to inherit all of their estate.

 

They are not legally married but wish their partner to inherit some or all of their estate.

 

They have no living relatives, as the Crown will take their Estate.

 

They are legally married but do not wish their spouse to inherit.

 

They have dependants, i.e. children under 18 or elderly or disabled relative.  They can make a Will to appoint guardians or set up trusts for them.  Without this, the children may be taken into care.

 

They are legally married to their spouse but have no children.

 

The total value of their monies and property, including their share of any jointly held property, exceeds £300,000 and they wish to reduce their inheritance tax bill.

 

To ensure that their loved ones know exactly how they wished their estate to be distributed.

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