Do I need a will if I don’t have anything to leave?

It’s human nature that given a reason not to do something most people grasp that opportunity with both hands, so it is tempting to put the unpleasant business of making a Will on the back shelf of your most inaccessible cupboard and forget about it.

Trouble is, ‘nothing to leave’ is hardly ever true. If you live in the modern world you will own things. You may not have lots houses, cars or valuable antiques but what about your record collection or your online music and photos? They all need to be dealt with. If you work you may be owed salary, death in service benefits and tax refunds at the time of or because of your death. If you are retired, you may be owed pension payments or death benefits for your partner. If you have any shares, if you have any items with a resale value and if you have any money in bank accounts this all need to be dealt with.

And a Will doesn’t just deal with money and goods, it tells those you leave behind what to do; such as specifying burial or cremation and other funeral arrangement and saying who will do the work of settling your estate. Remember, when we die those we leave behind could well be having the worst day of their lives and it is a great kindness for them to have something thought out and signed by you which can give comfort and guidance.

This is not meant to be a complete guide to writing a Will, there are as many specific requirements as there are people who need to write a Will. What is always the same however is the need for you to sit down and consider what you have what you want you want to do.