It is very important to make a will because when a person dies without leaving a will the personal representative must distribute the estate according to the rules of intestacy. Even if the personal representative wishes to give some of the property to certain people because he/she feels this is what the person who has died would have wanted, he/she can only do this if they are entitled to inherit under these rules.

The rules provide that only married partners and some other close relatives are able to inherit. Unmarried, gay or lesbian partners or people related by marriage and friends have no rights to inherit under the rules. They may, however, be able to apply for financial provision from the estate of the person who has died.

Inheritance tax is not a tax for the rich; it affects many more people than you may realise. The threshold for this tax is set by the Chancellor and can change in the Budget. It’s worth checking that your estate is not worth more than the threshold because anything over that value could automatically be liable to tax, which could leave your family with a big tax bill to pay later. One way to avoid inheritance tax is to leave all, or some of the excess to charity as gifts are exempt from tax. It also means the work of a good cause you have supported or admired in your lifetime can continue after your death.

For further information Contact Information and Advice.