Experienced Local
Will Writer

Mark Tucker, the founder of MT Legal Services has nearly 40 years of experience in matters regarding Wills and Probate. As a member of the Institute of Professional Will Writers, you can be sure that you’re in good hands when you employ MT Legal Services.

The law will set out how your assets are to be divided if you die without a Will. The law is designed to be “fair” but doesn’t always suit peoples circumstances or wishes.

Whether you’re making your Will or seeking advice on any other Private Client related work, we can help; ensuring that your last requests are carried out, and in helping you to provide for your family after you’ve gone.

Probate Services

If a loved one has died, there’s often a lot of administration and paperwork to deal with before their assets can be released – making a difficult time much harder. That’s why MT Legal Services offer comprehensive probate services to families and individuals in and around Northamptonshire; and nationally. If you are confused by probate and need support, we can help.

We are able to give advice on all Inheritance Tax implications, to include the preparation of all forms needed to report the estate to HM Revenue and Customs.

We are able to offer a fixed price Probate Service in certain situations and depending on the complexity of the matter; please contact us for further details.

Wills & Probate: FAQs

Do I need a Will?

Put simply, everyone should have a Will. Whether you are married, in a civil partnership, engaged, or have a long-term partner, own property or have children; you should make a Will.

When you die, if you don’t have a Will, you will have no say about what happens to your assets (money, property, possessions etc); with those you care about, potentially losing out. Ensuring you have a Will in place not only provides peace of mind, but also security for your family in the future.

Mark will work with you to implement an estate strategy; this will ensure that your assets will pass as you choose. He can also make arrangements in your Will for the care of any dependants.

Can I can write a Will myself, or use a template?

In theory, you can write down your wishes and requests on a piece of paper. Providing you sign it properly and it was witnessed by two (adult) independent people at the time, it could be acceptable.

That said, language and wording is crucial in Wills. Using the wrong wording could invalidate your Will and lead to your instructions not being followed. Having a Will professionally compiled avoids this concern.

If your circumstances fall into one of the categories below, you need professional help to write a Will:

  • You own property abroad
  • You have foreign bank accounts and/or investments
  • You’re trying to reduce your Inheritance Tax bill
  • You own a business that you’re leaving to someone as part of your will
  • You have people who are financially dependent on you (other than immediate family)

GOV.UK provide clear outlines regarding Wills, visit here.

I own a property abroad, can I include it in my UK Will?

For succession purposes, where a matter involves more than one legal system, it is necessary to apply the conflict of laws rules (also referred to as private international law – PIL), that determine which law of succession applies. Where the PIL rules of one jurisdiction conflict with the PIL rules of another jurisdiction, it is necessary to determine which jurisdiction can decide the matter.

Put simply, your assets (such as property) in each country will need to go through the probate system in the country in which your asset(s) is/are located. To do this, your assets must be described in a Last Will and Testament that is written under the laws of that country.

Your nationality, residency, citizenship and location of your beneficiaries is not as relevant as the location of your assets.

As you may imagine, different countries have different probate, tax and inheritance laws. Your Executor must be granted to act as the estate administrator in each country to deal with the assets in that country.

What happens if a Will cannot be found, or gets destroyed?

A Will does not take effect until death and can usually be changed or revoked at any time. A Will can be revoked by the person making the Will, by destroying it. It is a natural assumption that because a Will is written it will be found upon death. This is not always the case.

Typically, in these circumstances there is a presumption that the Will has been destroyed with the intention to revoke it. However, in some circumstances evidence of the person’s intentions can be put forward and accepted in place of the Will.

For example, if there had been a house fire that destroyed the Will, and there was evidence of its remaining contents. Where a Will cannot be located, it is up to those seeking to benefit under the lost Will to prove that the person did not intend to revoke it.

MT Legal Services offers secure document storage to clients of MT Legal Services, and also as a stand-alone service; giving you peace of mind and ensuring that your document remains secure.

Prices From...

Single Will (Prices From)

£
140
(+VAT)
  • Straightforward Will for a single person
  • Free consultation
  • Meeting to provide advice & receive your instructions
  • Preparation of draft (for approval)
  • Meeting to sign final copy

Joint Will (Prices From)

£
250
(+VAT)
  • Two documents drafted as a matched pair
    for husband & wife or couple
  • Free consultation
  • Meeting to provide advice & receive your instructions
  • Preparation of draft (for approval)
  • Meeting to sign final copy

Book a FREE Consultation Now!