Court Case Gives A Reminder To Update Our Wills Regularly
Simply updating his Will would have ensured that a former dentist’s share of the family home passed to his unmarried partner of 18 years, rather than to his estranged wife, avoiding a legal battle which has recently raged in court.
Although Joy Williams, 69, lived with retired dentist Norman Martin as his partner for nearly two decades, they never married, nor did Mr Martin change his Will. As Mr Martin and Ms Williams owned their home as tenants in common, on his death Mr Martin’s share of the house did not automatically pass to his partner, but to his estranged wife.
Ms Williams launched a legal challenge against the terms of the Will.
Unfortunately Mr Martin was in the same boat as around 12 million of us who have Wills, but who have not updated them for more than five years to reflect any changes in our circumstances.
Simply taking advice and changing his Will would have ensured that his partner’s financial future was secure and Ms Williams would not now be at risk of losing her home.
If you want to ensure your loved ones benefit from your hard earned efforts after your death, not only do you need to make a Will so that your wishes are carried out, you need to keep it updated to reflect any changes in your circumstances.
The costly and lengthy legal case of Ms Williams, and the possibility of her losing her family home, should be a reminder to us all to keep our Wills under regular review.
For advice on your Will contact:-
Gary Taylor
Director
Progressive Wills Ltd
Tel: 07543238543
Email: progressivewills@gmail.com
Progressive Wills Ltd makes the process of making a will as convenient and easy as possible. Our experienced consultant is fully trained in Wills Probate Powers Of Attorney Trusts and Court Of…
