I do have a will. I also have experience of dealing with a messy etate ( money abroad, in shares , ownership of small companies etc) when my father died intestate.
The difficulty of dealing with intestacy depends in my experience on two factors - the first being how many people and who have an interest in the estate, the secong being whether you are comfortable dealing with simple paperwork. In my case there was only my mother and I interested in my fathers estate and since shee needed the money I happily gave up my rights under the intestacy laws. It would be a different and more messy issue if you had (say) a brother you didnt get on with. Then you may well be best advised to employ a solicitor.
The paperwork is simple with lots of on line explanations and the probate office will be helpful.
The incapacity after an accident issue is a different one since the lawyers forced a change to a more expensive and more formalised system - in part because the old one was being abused by greedy children.. That said, again you can do all the necessary work for a power of attorney using on line guidance from HMG and without employing a solicitor. There still are costs but just a lot less than the £500 or so normally quoted by a solicitor.
Have you got a will?
Moderators: Aladinsaneuk, MartDude, D-Rider, Moderators