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Wills and estates

Making a will.

A will says who gets what, who carries it out, and who looks after your children if they are young. It takes one meeting and a signature. Without one, the Succession Act 1965 decides for you.

Make an appointment What happens after

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At a glance

A will made for a couple at the same appointment is usually quoted as a pair. Ask when you ring.

01How longOne meeting, then signing

02How we chargeFixed fee, plus VAT

03WitnessesTwo, present together

04StorageOriginal held by us, copy to you

Before the meeting

Four things to decide, and none of them need a solicitor to decide them.

Most of a will is written before you arrive. If you have thought about these four, the meeting takes under an hour and the draft follows within a week. If you have not, we will talk them through with you, but it helps to have a first answer to each.

One

Your executor

The person who carries out the will. Usually a spouse, an adult child or a friend. Name a second one in case.

Two

Specific gifts

A house, a sum of money, a particular item. Be precise about which item and which person.

Three

The residue

Everything left after the specific gifts and the debts. This is the part that matters most and is most often forgotten.

Four

Guardians and trustees

If your children are under eighteen, say who raises them and who minds the money until they are old enough.

The rules

A will is not a blank page.

Irish law protects certain people whatever the will says. We will tell you where those limits sit before you decide anything.

A spouse or civil partner has a legal right share

One third of the estate if you have children, one half if you do not. That share applies whether or not the will mentions it.

Children may apply to the court

Under section 117 of the Succession Act a child can ask the court to say a parent failed in their moral duty to provide for them. It is worth planning around.

A witness cannot be a beneficiary

Two witnesses must watch you sign, at the same time, and neither of them nor their spouse can take a gift under the will. This is where home made wills usually fail.

Marriage revokes an earlier will

So does a divorce in some respects. Review the will after a marriage, a separation, a birth, or the sale of a property named in it.

Tax on what you leave

Beneficiaries pay capital acquisitions tax above their threshold. The three thresholds are set out on our tool page.

The Will Planner

Gather your thoughts here, before the meeting.

Six short steps: your family, what you own, who benefits, who carries it out. It never writes a will and never gives advice. It sends us a structured note, and the first appointment takes twenty minutes instead of an hour.

Client guides

Your guide, with your own figures.

Read the steps, try the calculator, then create a printable guide with your details to bring to your first appointment.

Making a will: what to bring

Making a will is one of the shortest legal jobs there is, and one of the most valuable. This guide shows you how to prepare.

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Enduring power of attorney: the how and the why

A will speaks after death. An enduring power of attorney speaks if illness or injury means you cannot manage your own affairs.

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