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Make, sign and store a will
- Compare will-writing quotesKnow what to ask before you pay for a will. Compare support, checks, signing help and the full cost.
- Is an online will right for me?Check whether an online will service can meet your needs, and when personal legal advice may help.
- How online wills workFollow the steps from online questions to a checked, signed and safely stored will.
- Compare ways to make a willCompare an online service, a solicitor and a self-written will. Use a simple worksheet to check support and costs.
- What makes a will valid?Understand the main legal requirements for an ordinary will in England and Wales, including free choice and signing.
- Avoid common will-signing mistakesCheck witnesses, the final document and clear sight of each signature before signing your will.
- Your will-signing checklistA practical signing-day checklist for England and Wales, with a printable PDF and the same steps in web text.
- Get ready to make your willA private, printable checklist to help you plan your people, gifts, executor and questions before making a will.
- Keep your signed will safeChoose a safe home for your signed original will, tell your executor how to find it and check storage terms.
Your family and changing plans
- Single wills and mirror willsUnderstand how single and mirror wills work, what can change later, and when a couple may need personal legal advice.
- When to get advice before making a willCheck the family, property and personal issues that may need a solicitor's help before you use an online will service.
- Find and choose a solicitor for your willPrepare for a will appointment, check a firm's details and compare the service and full cost before you choose a solicitor.
- Making a will when you have childrenPlan for children, understand guardian and trustee roles, and prepare the questions to discuss when making a will in England and Wales.
- Wills for unmarried couplesUnderstand why an unmarried partner may need a will, how joint property can differ, and which questions to take to a solicitor.
- Wills for blended familiesPlan for a partner and children from different relationships, understand the limits of mirror wills and prepare for personal legal advice.
- When and how to update your willKnow when to review a will, what marriage and other life changes can mean, and how to make a proper change in England and Wales.
- What happens if someone dies without a will?Understand intestacy in England and Wales, who may miss out, and where to check inheritance and estate-administration rules.
Powers of attorney
- Plan a lasting power of attorneyUnderstand the two LPA types, choose people you trust and compare official preparation with optional paid help in England and Wales.
- LPA fees and registration timeCheck the official LPA registration fee, the usual waiting time, fee help and the difference between government and preparation costs.
- Can you pay less for an LPA?Find out how income, benefits and hardship can affect LPA registration fees, and what to check before applying for help.
- Which type of LPA do you need?Compare property and financial affairs with health and welfare LPAs, including what each covers and when it can be used.
- Who signs an LPA, and in what order?Understand the donor, certificate provider, witnesses and attorneys, then follow the official LPA signing order.
- Your LPA planning checklistA private checklist to help you choose people, discuss decisions and prepare for the official LPA signing and registration process.
Help after a death
- Executors and beneficiaries explainedLearn who carries out a will, who receives gifts, how to choose an executor and what to do if you have been asked to act.
- Do you need probate?Check when an estate may need probate, who can apply, what to prepare and the official application route for England and Wales.
- Someone has died: where to startA calm checklist for practical steps after a death, including official registration guidance, finding the will and checking the estate.