Our experienced team of solicitors create wills for people from all walks of life. We work with local business owners protecting their legacy, families safeguarding their homes, and individuals ensuring their wishes are honoured.
We understand that families come in many forms. Whether you’re part of a traditional family structure, a blended family with step-children, or an unmarried couple sharing your lives together, we’ll craft a will that protects everyone who matters to you.
Our solicitors take the time to understand what’s important in your life, whether that’s providing for children, protecting vulnerable family members, caring for beloved pets, or supporting cherished local charities.
We offer practical guidance on choosing guardians for children, appointing suitable executors, and structuring your estate to minimise inheritance tax. No matter your circumstances or concerns, we’ll ensure your will truly reflects your wishes and protects those you care about most.
Our Will Writing Services
Our specialist wills solicitors provide a complete range of Will writing services, including:
- Expert advice on making appropriate Wills
- Preparation of straightforward single Wills
- Creation of Mirror Wills for couples
- Establishment of various Will Trusts
- Preparation of complementary Lasting Powers of Attorney
- Inheritance Tax planning advice
- Home visits throughout Devizes and the surrounding areas
What are the different types of Wills?
- Single Will – A basic will that gives you complete control over who gets your property, money, and possessions. It’s the right choice for single people, widows, or anyone who needs to make decisions independently from a partner. You can name guardians for children, choose your executors, and include specific funeral wishes.
- Mirror Wills – Two separate but matching wills for couples that reflect the same wishes. They typically leave everything to each other first, then to children or other beneficiaries after both partners have died. These are ideal for married couples, civil partners, or long-term partners who share assets and want to protect each other while also securing inheritance for children, including step-children who have no automatic inheritance rights.
- Trust Wills – Wills that include special arrangements to protect assets or beneficiaries:
- Property Protection Trust – Protects your home from being sold to pay for care home fees. This is important for homeowners looking to preserve property values that have appreciated significantly in recent years.
- Discretionary Trust – Puts assets under the control of trustees who decide how and when beneficiaries receive their inheritance. This works well for parents of young children or those with family members who might not manage money well.
- Life Interest Trust – Allows someone (usually your spouse) to benefit from assets during their lifetime, after which the assets pass to other beneficiaries (often children from a previous relationship). This is particularly useful in second marriages where you want to provide for your current partner while protecting children’s inheritance.
- Nil-Rate Band Trust – Helps reduce inheritance tax by making use of tax allowances. With rising property values across Wiltshire, this has become increasingly relevant for local homeowners whose estates may exceed the tax threshold.
Our will writing solicitors near you provide expert guidance on which type of will best suits your specific circumstances, ensuring your estate plan accomplishes your precise wishes while providing maximum protection for your loved ones.
What is the Will writing process with Awdry Law?
Creating your will should be straightforward, affordable, and efficient. Our process begins with a conversation about your assets, family circumstances, and specific wishes.
We’ll guide you through exactly what to include in your will, from appointing executors and guardians to specifying beneficiaries for both significant assets and sentimental items.
For straightforward estates, we provide a comprehensive “Will Questionnaire” for you to complete at your convenience. For more complex situations involving business assets or blended families, we recommend a personal consultation to ensure every aspect is properly addressed.
Our expert solicitors transform your instructions into a legally sound document that precisely reflects your wishes, ensuring all technical requirements are met.
You’ll receive a draft will to review, with the opportunity to discuss any queries or make adjustments. Once satisfied, we arrange for proper signing and witnessing according to legal requirements, which is a cruical step that many DIY wills get wrong.
Why Choose Awdry Law in Devizes?
Choosing Awdry Law Solicitors for your will writing brings significant advantages over online services or non-local firms:
- Deep Local Knowledge – Our solicitors live and work near Devizes, giving us unparalleled understanding of local property values – from period properties in the town centre to newer developments in areas like Cepen Park and Pewsham. We understand how these values affect inheritance planning and tax considerations in ways generic online services cannot comprehend.
- Face-to-Face Personal Service – Discussing family relationships, assets, and end-of-life wishes requires sensitivity and trust. Our local office provides a comfortable, private environment for these important conversations. Being local means we’re accessible when you need us – not just a distant voice on the phone or faceless email address.
- Ongoing Support As Your Needs Change – We know that life evolves, from the arrival of children, to moving house, to retirement planning. With our established presence in the town, we provide continuity of service as your circumstances change, offering regular will reviews and updates that reflect your current situation.
The dangers of not having a valid will
If you die without making a will, the law decides who gets your money, property and possessions – not you. These fixed legal rules (called “intestacy rules”) completely ignore what you might have wanted. This often creates serious problems for your loved ones.
Unmarried partners have no automatic right to inherit anything under these rules, regardless of how long you’ve been together. They may have to make costly legal claims against your estate. Children might not be properly protected, with no guardianship provisions in place if both parents pass away. Your home could pass to relatives you rarely see rather than those closest to you.
Family disagreements often escalate into costly disputes during an already difficult time when clear instructions are absent. Step-children may be unintentionally excluded entirely, as they have no automatic inheritance rights. Your estate could also pay significantly more inheritance tax than necessary without proper planning.
Creating a valid will with Awdry Law ensures your estate passes according to your specific wishes, protecting those who matter most while potentially saving thousands in unnecessary tax and legal complications.
Why wait? Speak to our Devizes wills solicitors today…
Whether you’re creating your first will, updating an existing one after life changes, or exploring trust options to protect complex assets, we’re here to help. The peace of mind that comes from having properly arranged affairs is invaluable – not just for you, but for those who matter most to you.
Book a free, no-obligation consultation with our Devizes will writing team today. We’ll listen to your concerns, explain your options in plain English, and help you create a will that truly reflects your wishes.
To arrange your consultation, call our solicitors on 01380 722311 or email us at info@awdry.law. You can also fill in our quick enquiry form below; it’s easy, quick and one of our expert team will be in touch promptly.
Alternatively, you can pop in to our office at 33 St John’s Street, Devizes, SN10 1BW.
