Our professional will writing service helps individuals, couples, and families protect their property, savings, and beneficiaries through legally valid wills and estate planning in England and Wales. We assist with Single Wills, Mirror Wills, inheritance tax planning, trusts, and long-term asset protection tailored to your wishes.
Without a legally valid will, your estate may be distributed under intestacy rules rather than according to your wishes.
New Forest Wills provides professional will writing and estate planning services across the New Forest, Hampshire, and surrounding areas. Our wills are prepared by an experienced paralegal service and structured in accordance with the Wills Act 1837 and current succession law in England and Wales.
Clients choose New Forest Wills for clear guidance, home visit appointments, legally compliant drafting, and ongoing will review support. We help individuals, couples, parents, and business owners structure their estate planning with clarity and legal certainty.
Our will writing service ensures your will and testament is legally valid under the Wills Act 1837. Each will document is prepared with precision, offering clarity, accuracy, and full enforceability—giving you complete peace of mind. It also ensures your assets don’t pass to the Crown by default.
We hold affiliate membership with CILEX (Chartered Institute of Legal Executives). Our service offers a more affordable option than traditional legal firms. We work with experienced will writing experts to document your wishes clearly and legally.
Our estate planning helps ensure your property, savings, business interests, and family assets are protected according to your wishes. A professionally drafted will can help reduce intestacy risks, support beneficiaries, minimise inheritance tax exposure, and provide clarity for executors during probate.
Our streamlined service guides you from consultation to completion—ensuring a valid will without delays or hassle. Trusted in the New Forest — 100% Client Satisfaction Rate.
Our will writing and estate planning services help protect property, savings, business interests, and family assets according to your wishes. We assist with Single Wills, Mirror Wills, Complex Wills, inheritance tax planning, trusts, and probate-related estate planning across England and Wales.
Creating a legally valid will often raises questions about executors, beneficiaries, inheritance tax, probate, guardianship, and estate administration. The answers below explain common areas of will writing and succession planning in England and Wales.
Here is a quick overview of important people and terms involved in a will:
| Role or Term | What it Means |
|---|---|
| Testator | The person who creates and signs the will. |
| Executor | The person appointed to carry out the instructions of the will and manage the estate. |
| Beneficiary | A person or organisation that receives money, property, or gifts under the will. |
| Estate | Everything owned by the testator, including assets and liabilities, at the time of death. |
| Trustee | A person who manages assets placed into a trust created within the will. |
| Guardian | A person named to take legal responsibility for minor children if needed. |
| Witness | An independent person who observes the signing of the will and confirms its validity. |
| Will Trust | A trust created by a will to manage and protect assets for beneficiaries. |
| Specific Legatee | A beneficiary who receives a particular item or specific gift named in the will. |
| Residuary Beneficiary | A person who receives the remainder of the estate after debts and specific gifts are settled. |
| Codicil | A legal document that formally changes part of an existing will. |
| Inheritance Tax | Tax that may be payable on the estate above a certain threshold, potentially reduced with careful planning. |
Unmarried partners do not automatically inherit under intestacy rules. A legally valid will helps ensure your partner can inherit your estate according to your wishes.
A will can include guardianship wishes for dependent children. This helps ensure you choose who cares for your children if you die before they reach adulthood.
Several key roles and processes are set out when preparing a valid will:
You must understand the nature of your will, your assets, and who may benefit from your estate when making a legally valid will in England and Wales.
Wills in England and Wales are governed primarily by the Wills Act 1837, which sets out the legal requirements for a valid will. This includes rules around how a will must be signed, witnessed, and the age and capacity of the person making the will. Additional legal principles from the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 may also apply, particularly in cases where a will is contested or provision for certain individuals is disputed. At New Forest Wills, we ensure your will is drafted in full compliance with current legal standards to avoid future complications or challenges.
You can make a legally valid will in the UK without involving a solicitor. Our will writing service is delivered by a CILEX-affiliated paralegal in partnership with professional will writing experts who draft your will in line with UK legal requirements.
A will prepared by a paralegal can be legally valid in England and Wales if it meets the requirements of the Wills Act 1837 and is properly signed and witnessed.
A professionally drafted will helps reduce confusion and uncertainty by clearly recording your wishes, beneficiaries, and estate distribution instructions.
All wills are written in line with the Wills Act 1837 and industry standards set out by the Professional Association of Legal Services and the Institute of Paralegals (aquired by the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX). The will is prepared in collaboration with experienced will writing professionals to ensure legal compliance.
Probate is the legal process of administering a person’s estate after death. A clearly drafted will can help reduce delays and uncertainty during probate.
A will sets out what happens to your estate after death. A Lasting Power of Attorney allows someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity during your lifetime.
Solicitors are not involved in the drafting of wills. All wills are written by experienced estate planning professionals who specialise in will preparation and are fully insured to carry out this work.
Our partner organisation is fully insured and operates in accordance with estate planning industry standards. All services are protected by professional indemnity insurance.
Our pricing is for a fixed-fee will service, which includes consultation, document drafting, review, and delivery:
Single Will – £165
Mirror Wills – £195
You can update your will by preparing a new one. We help you replace your previous will with a clear and current version that reflects your latest wishes.
A codicil makes small changes to an existing will, such as updating executors or adding a gift. It must be signed and witnessed like a will.
At New Forest Wills, we do not use codicils. Instead, we draft a new will to reflect all current wishes. This avoids confusion between documents and ensures legal clarity—especially after major life changes or multiple updates.
In most cases, a new will is the safer, clearer option.
A Single Will is for one person. Mirror Wills are two similar wills for couples who want to leave their estate to each other and then to named beneficiaries.
Both types of will can also include guardianship wishes for dependent children.
Yes, we offer home appointments for will writing, making it easier for clients who prefer in-person consultations. Video calls are also available if you’d rather meet remotely.
A properly drafted will should include your personal details, chosen executors, instructions for asset distribution, and guardian arrangements if you have children. We guide you through each step to ensure everything is clearly documented.
Effective estate planning involves regular will reviews, executor planning, inheritance tax considerations, guardianship decisions, and protecting beneficiaries through legally structured estate arrangements in England and Wales.
| TASK | FREQUENCY | GUIDANCE |
|---|---|---|
| Review Your Will | Every 2–3 years |
• Reassess if the will reflects your current wishes. • Review after major life events like marriage, divorce, or a birth. |
| Check Beneficiary Details | As needed |
• Ensure all beneficiaries are named correctly. • Remove or add individuals as relationships change. |
| Confirm Executor Suitability | Every 3–5 years |
• Verify your executor is still willing and able. • Appoint a replacement if necessary. |
| Update Asset Records | Annually |
• Keep a list of your assets up to date. • Include property, savings, pensions, and digital accounts. |
| Reassess Guardianship | As needed | • Review guardians named for children as family circumstances evolve. |
| Verify Will Storage | Annually |
• Ensure your will is stored safely and accessibly. • Inform executors where it is held. |
| Review Inheritance Strategy | Every 5 years |
• Consider tax planning options such as trusts or gifting. • Consult a specialist if your estate value increases. |
| WILL (LAW) SERVICES | RELATED ESTATE PLANNING APPLICATIONS | COMMON WILL FEATURES |
|---|---|---|
| Advance Decision (Living Will) | Inheritance Tax Guidance | Executor Appointment |
| Discretionary Will Trusts | Property Ownership Structuring | Guardianship for Minor Children |
| Funeral Wishes Documentation | Succession Planning for Business | Digital Assets Provision |
| Foreign Asset Provisions | Planning for Blended Families | Specific Gifts and Legacies |
| Severance of Joint Tenancy | Advice on Life Interest Trusts | Residuary Estate Distribution |
| Executor Support Services | Gifting and Lifetime Transfers | Witnessing and Signing Guidance |
| Charitable Bequests Planning | Advice on Intestacy Risks | Funeral Wishes Inclusion |
We also provide probate support and estate administration services following bereavement.
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