Making a will - John Irwin, Solicitor, Moira, Northern Ireland


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A will is simply a legal document which determines what happens to your money and belongings in the event of your death. If you do not make a will then the law determines how your money and property will be distributed. If you have no family or blood relatives and have not made a will then all your property and belongings will pass to the Crown.

We advise all clients of the importance of making a will as it is only by making a will that you can ensure that your estate is distributed in accordance with your wishes.

By making a will you can:

Appoint Executors to deal with all your property and belongings after your death.
Appoint Guardians or set up Trusts for your children.
Plan with professional advice and assistance the distribution of your property and belongings so as to minimise Inheritance Tax or Capital Gains Tax consequences
Leave specific instructions about matters of particular importance to you such as gifts to certain favoured charities
Avoid disputes or feelings of ill will amongst the surviving family members about who is entitled to share in your property and belongings.
Revoke or alter a previous existing will in the light of any change in your own personal circumstances such as the birth of a child, a divorce or the death of any person specifically mentioned in your existing will. It is wise to review the contents of your will at least every 5 years to ensure that its contents still reflect your wishes
Ensure that your property and belongings, which on death are referred to as your Estate, are distributed in accordance with your wishes.

Given the importance to every adult of making a will, it is essential that your will is legally correct to ensure that your wishes are carried out after your death. There are certain formalities to be met in the preparation and execution of a will. Whilst it is possible in theory to make a home made will without expert advice, in many instances such wills turn out to be invalid for one reason or another.

We believe that the actual process of making a will should not be daunting, time consuming or unnecessarily expensive. We will take your instructions and draft a Will in as clear a manner as possible. We will confirm that the draft Will meets your requirements making any amendments which may be required before ensuring that it is properly executed. We will then hold your original Will in our Deeds/Documents Safe free of charge.

When considering making a will there are a number of questions that must be addressed:

How will your assets be distributed?
What will happen to your property?
Who will look after your children?
What will happen to those you want to go on living in your home?
Who will get your most valued possessions?
Will your partner have the use of all that you have built up together?
Will he or she have enough to live on?
Who do you want to appoint as your executors?

It may be useful to consider these together with any other specific areas of concern before meeting with us so that individual issues may be addressed when giving your instructions.