Q. Do I need a will? A. The answer is almost certainly yes. If you die without leaving a will your estate will pass as the law directs. Q. My spouse will inherit everything, won’t they? A. No, anything over a certain threshold will be divided up, who it ends up with is rather complicated and depends whether you have children, parents that are still living and brothers and sisters. But, without a will you will not have any say in the matter.
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Q. What is a will? A. A will is a legal document which sets out who will inherit your estate when you die. Q. What is my estate? A. Your estate is legal jargon for everything you own for example your home, savings, car and personal possessions. 
Q. My partner and I are not married. The law has changed and we now have the same rights as married couples? A. Unfortunately not, there have been no changes to intestacy laws since 1925. The rules are archaic and your partner will get nothing. Q. Would it not be cheaper to use an over the counter DIY Will Kit? A. It would certainly be cheaper, but price is not everything. It is fair to say that in life you generally get what you pay for. A will is a very precise document and the terminology used must be exact, because by the time your will is read you will no longer be around to explain what you actually meant. To give just one example of a terrible mistake that can be made even when sticking simple and clear plain English words “my wife will get everything and when she dies my children will get it”. With these simple words instead of leaving everything to your wife you have in fact only given her a life interest, meaning she can’t spend the money, only live of the interest, as they money must go to the children. However, with Next Steps, for just a little more you can have a will which gives you peace of mind.
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