After a decade of procrastinating, RfM Creative Consultant Alison Arthington recently made her Will with RfM Legal Services. Here she explains why she finally ticked it off her to do list and how she found the experience.
It’s no exaggeration to say that making a Will was something I’d been intending to do for over a decade. Each year, when our financial advisor came for our annual catch-up he would ask, “Have you sorted out your Wills?” to which I would always reply, “It’s on my list to sort this year.” But another year would pass and still it didn’t get done.
I’m not sure why I kept putting it off. I’m married with two young children and we own our own home but – whilst I knew it was important to formally put my wishes in writing – I did make some assumptions about what would happen to my share of the house and possessions if I died without a Will. I assumed (as many people do) that my share would automatically pass to my husband and, in turn, be passed on to our children.
It was only after being involved with the launch of RfM Legal Services in spring 2018 that I learned more about what happens if you die without a Will. And even if you do write a Will, there are a number of common life events that could make it invalid.
In the end though, it was neither the reminders from my financial advisor nor my understanding of the intestacy rules that prompted me to write my Will…
Earlier this year, my dad passed away. He did have an up-to-date Will in which my brother and I were named as trustees. As such, we were both closely involved in making arrangements for the funeral and taking care of his estate in the days, weeks and months after his death.
From his Will, we learned our dad’s wishes for his funeral and the distribution of his estate. Reading his Will prompted us to discuss our own affairs and made me think more clearly about my own situation. I couldn’t put it off any longer.
Making a Will with RfM Legal Services
I already had a good understanding of how the process of making a Will with RfM Legal Services worked. I much preferred the thought of sitting down with RfM’s Barrister Intermediary, Sharon Rigden, to chat through things, rather than having to meet with a solicitor directly.
Sharon’s background is banking and customer relations and her focus is on making you feel as comfortable as possible whilst she gathers the information she needs. She guides you to think about situations you would rather not – such as who would take care of your children if you died before they were 18 – but does so in a very sensitive way that enables you to make those difficult decisions.
Although my and my husband’s wishes are fairly straightforward – our estate to be divided equally between our children – Sharon was able to advise us on the best way to structure our affairs to ensure that they remain the beneficiaries, whatever happens in the future.
Sharon gathered the information she needed from us in just one meeting with us at our home. She then passed this on to the team at the Legal Services Guild to draw up the draft documents.
After we received the drafts, Sharon took us through each section to explain the ‘legal speak’ in simple terms and ensure the Wills were a true reflection of our wishes. Once we approved the drafts, Sharon instructed the solicitors to create the final, legally-binding Wills.
Throughout the process, we have dealt only with Sharon who is friendly and efficient and keeps the process moving along.
I’m pleased to finally be able to tick this off my to do list, but more importantly I now have peace of mind that – whatever happens in the future – my children will be taken care of.
Get in touch
To arrange a free consultation to discuss making a new Will or to review an existing Will, call Sharon Rigden on 01772 431233 or email srigden@rfm-more.co.uk
For more information about our range of Legal Services visit www.rfmlegal.co.uk