Let’s be honest—thinking about death isn’t exactly a fun way to spend your evening. Making a Will can feel morbid, overwhelming, or like something only the super-rich need to worry about. But the truth? If you care about what happens to your loved ones, your home, your digital life—or even your pets—then a professionally drafted Will is one of the most important documents you’ll ever create.

Trying to DIY your Will is like assembling flat-pack furniture without the instructions. It might look fine, but when the time comes, it could all fall apart.

At Lewis Nedas, our Private Client team specialises in making the process simple, secure, and stress-free. Here’s why using a solicitor (especially us!) is essential for proper estate planning.

Contact our Wills Solicitors in London

To speak to one of our private client lawyers for advice, please contact us on  020 7870 2736 or complete our online enquiry form.

DIY Wills: A Risky Shortcut

We’ve all seen those DIY Will kits in stationery shops or online. They might look like a quick fix, but they often come with serious risks:

• Errors & Misinterpretation: Template clauses rarely suit everyone. A poorly worded Will can be misunderstood or even rendered invalid.
• Higher Probate Costs: Mistakes often lead to delays and legal disputes, which makes probate longer, more expensive, and more stressful for your family.
• No Professional Safeguards: If your Will is ever contested, there’s no legal professional to confirm your intentions, explain the reasoning behind your decisions, or demonstrate how the document was properly prepared.
• Storage Issues: DIY Wills are often kept at home—at risk of being lost, damaged, or thrown away. If it can’t be found after your death, it may be presumed revoked under law.
• Common Reasons for Legal Challenges:

• • The Will is revoked, or a more recent one is found.
  • Claims of undue influence or lack of mental capacity.
  • Forged signatures.
  • Honest mistakes—like using the wrong witnesses.

A solicitor-led Will dramatically reduces these risks. We keep detailed records of your instructions and the rationale behind them, which can be crucial if the Will is later contested.

What Should Be Included in Your Will – and Why a Solicitor is Key to Getting It Right

A Will is more than just a list of who gets what. To ensure your wishes are carried out smoothly, consider including the following crucial elements—along with the expert guidance of a solicitor:

• Guardianship: Designate trusted guardians for your minor children (and even pets) to ensure they are cared for by those you trust.
• Funeral Wishes: Share your preferences for funeral arrangements to ease the emotional and financial burden on your family.
• Digital Legacy: Provide clear instructions for managing your online accounts, digital assets, and cryptocurrencies, ensuring your loved ones can handle these matters after your passing.
• Charitable Gifts: Leave a meaningful legacy to your chosen charities, ensuring they are properly identified (including UK charity registration numbers and recipient details).
• Asset Distribution: Adjust bequests to reflect changing circumstances, such as a child who may now have special needs or is facing financial hardship.
• Trusts for Minors or Vulnerable Beneficiaries: Use trusts to protect inheritances for young or vulnerable family members, ensuring their long-term security.
• Gift-overs: Specify what happens if a beneficiary passes before you, ensuring your estate is distributed as you intend.
• Pet Care Provisions: Make legally valid arrangements for the care of your pets, including who will care for them and any financial support they might need.
• Tax Planning: Collaborate with your solicitor to minimise inheritance tax, ensuring more of your estate goes to your beneficiaries rather than to the taxman.

How a Solicitor Adds Value at Every Step

1. Bespoke Wills, Not One-Size-Fits-All Templates

No two families are alike. A solicitor will draft a Will that reflects your wishes, not generic clauses. At Lewis Nedas, we explain everything in plain English so you know exactly what you’re signing.

2. Trust & Tax Expertise

If you have young children, vulnerable adults, or blended family dynamics, we’ll advise on trust structures to protect their future. We also provide practical, legal ways to reduce inheritance tax—potentially saving your estate thousands.

3. Preventing Family Disputes

We’ve seen how emotionally and financially draining probate disputes can be. Our experience in contentious probate helps ensure your Will stands up to scrutiny and reduces the chance of it being challenged.

4. Free, Secure Will Storage

We store your Will in a fire- and flood-proof facility free of charge, with optional registration on the National Wills Register. Unlike a DIY Will kept in a drawer, your solicitor-stored Will is safe and accessible when it’s needed most.

When Should You Update Your Will?

A Will isn’t a one-time job—it should grow with you. We recommend reviewing it every 3–5 years, or sooner if life changes, such as:

• Marriage or Divorce (marriage automatically revokes your Will)
• Birth of children or grandchildren
• Changes in financial circumstances (e.g. inheritance, sale of property, or loss of a life insurance benefit at work)
• Change in employment affecting death-in-service benefits
• A change in your beneficiaries’ needs (e.g., illness, disability, or financial hardship)
• Shifts in your executors, trustees, or guardians
• New charity gifts or legacy intentions

Beyond the Will: Planning for Life as Well as Death

At Lewis Nedas, estate planning means more than just drafting a Will. We offer advice on:

• End-of-life healthcare directives
• Care home fee planning
• Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs)
• Trust creation and asset protection strategies

We’re here for the full journey—helping you plan for the expected and the unexpected.

Final Thoughts

We understand life is busy. Between saving for retirement, paying off debt, or growing your family (fur babies included!), making a Will might not seem urgent—until it suddenly is.

As the old saying goes: “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.”

A solicitor-prepared Will offers clarity, legal protection, and peace of mind—saving your loved ones heartache and cost at an already difficult time.

How Lewis Nedas Can Help

Our Private Client team at Lewis Nedas can:

• Appoint trusted executors and guardians
• Set up trusts for children or vulnerable loved ones
• Minimise inheritance tax liability
• Protect digital assets and ensure your online legacy
• Safeguard charitable donations and make them legally valid
• Provide detailed advice on guardianship, trusteeship, legacies, and more
• Store your Will securely at no cost

Contact us for Wills Advice

📞 Call Rose Varsani on 0207 387 2032
📧 Email: pvarsani@lewisnedas.co.uk

Let’s take the stress out of estate planning. Your future—and your family—deserve nothing less.

Disclaimer:

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For personal guidance, please contact our team to speak with one of our solicitors.