MAKING A WILL
If you died tomorrow, who decides what happens to everything you've built?
A properly drafted Will from an experienced solicitor — not a template — for a fixed fee. One appointment, done in days. Book a time that suits you
THE SITUATION YOU’RE IN
Most people know they should have a Will
Most people also don't have one. It's not laziness — it's that there's never a deadline, it feels morbid, and nobody's quite sure what it involves or costs.
So here's the deadline, plainly: if you die without a Will in Scotland, the law decides who gets everything — and the law's answer is frequently not what people expect. An unmarried partner can be left with no automatic entitlement at all. A surviving spouse doesn't simply "get everything" where there are children. Stepchildren inherit nothing by default. The person who ends up administering your estate may not be the person you'd ever have chosen. And your family deals with all of it, slower and more expensively, whilst grieving.
A Will fixes every one of those problems in a single appointment.
MAKING A WILL
Why make a Will?
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A Will is the only way to make sure that what you leave behind goes to the people you want to have it. Without one, the law decides for you — and the law’s answer is often not the one you would have chosen.
More than half of adults in Scotland have no Will. Many assume everything will simply pass to their husband, wife or children. In reality, the rules of intestacy — which apply when there is no Will — can produce outcomes that surprise and distress the families left behind, particularly for unmarried partners, second families, and children from more than one relationship.
A Will replaces all of that uncertainty with your wishes, clearly recorded and legally effective.
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Decide who inherits — family, friends, or causes that matter to you
Appoint executors — the people who will carry out your wishes
Provide for children — including appointing guardians for those under sixteen
Make specific gifts — a home, a sum of money, a treasured possession
Plan sensibly — so your estate passes as smoothly, and as tax-efficiently, as possible
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If you die without a Will in Scotland, your estate is divided according to fixed legal rules rather than your wishes. A surviving spouse or civil partner has certain rights; children have others (known as legal rights); and an unmarried partner — no matter how long you have been together — has no automatic entitlement at all. The result can be delay, additional cost, and family disputes at the worst possible time.
A Will is the simplest way to spare the people you love that difficulty.
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Making a Will with us is straightforward and usually completed in one appointment:
We talk through your circumstances, your family, and what you’d like to happen. We advise on the things worth considering — executors, guardians, legal rights, and any tax planning that applies. We then prepare a Will tailored to you, and once you’re happy with it, it is signed and witnessed correctly so that it is legally valid. We store it safely, and you keep a copy.
If your circumstances change — a marriage, a separation, a new child or grandchild, a house move — your Will should be reviewed, and we can update it quickly.
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We prepare Wills for a fixed fee, agreed before we begin, with a reduced rate for couples making mirror Wills together. You will know the full cost from the outset, with nothing to add at the end.
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Making a Will is one of those things almost everyone intends to do and few get round to. It takes one appointment, costs a fixed fee, and means the people you care about are provided for exactly as you intend.
WHAT WE DO
The services we provide
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Single Wills
Fixed fee £180
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Mirror Wills for couples
Fixed fee £300
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Family Protection Package
£1,158: mirror Wills plus Powers of Attorney for both of you, everything most families need in one sitting
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Appointment of executors
Appointment of executors you trust, and guardians for children under 16
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Legacies to family, friends and charities
Provision for stepchildren and unmarried partners who would otherwise get nothing
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Advice on legal rights
In Scotland, spouses and children have claims that can't simply be written out — your Will should be drafted with this in mind, not around it
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Guidance on inheritance tax basics
And when specialist estate planning is worth it
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Updating existing Wills
After marriage, divorce, births, deaths or a change of heart
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Safe storage
Of your signed Will at no extra charge
WHY A SOLICITOR AND NOT A TEMPLATE
An online template doesn't know that Scots law gives your children legal rights regardless of what the document says. It doesn't check the Will is validly executed, doesn't spot the ambiguity that ends up in a court dispute, and it won't be there to answer for the drafting in twenty years. We will. A solicitor-drafted Will costs £180 and is done properly, once.
THE NEXT STEPS
How it works
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At our Alexandria office, by phone or by video.
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We take your instructions — usually 30–45 minutes. You don't need to prepare anything beyond a rough idea of what you have and who you'd want it to go to.
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You review it, we adjust anything, you sign. Done.
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You get a copy. Update it any time life changes.
OUR COSTS
What it costs
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Single Will
£180 + VAT — a straightforward, fixed‑fee service that gives you a legally valid will tailored to your wishes.
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Mirror Wills
£250 + VAT— a fixed‑fee service for couples who want two aligned, legally valid wills that clearly set out shared wishes.
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Family Protection Package
Mirror wills + two POAs: £830.83 + VAT (and registration dues) — a comprehensive fixed‑fee package providing two aligned wills and two lasting powers of attorney.
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Fixed. No hourly rates, no surprises
Complex estates (business interests, trusts, significant IHT planning) are quoted separately and clearly before any work starts.
WHAT TO DO NOW
What step to take next
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Book an appointment
That's genuinely it — everything else happens in the room.
FAQ’S
Question? We have answers
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Not necessarily. Under Scotland's intestacy rules, a surviving spouse has "prior rights" up to certain limits, but children have claims too — and the outcome depends on the size and make-up of the estate. If you want your spouse to inherit everything (or anything specific), say so in a Will.
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No — a cohabitant has no automatic right to inherit. They can apply to the court after your death, within a strict time limit, with no guaranteed outcome. A Will removes that gamble entirely.
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Not completely. In Scotland, children have "legal rights" to a share of your moveable estate regardless of the will. We'll explain what that means for your situation and draft accordingly.
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Someone organised and trustworthy — a spouse, adult child, friend, or the firm. You can appoint more than one. We'll talk it through at the appointment.
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Whenever life changes materially — marriage, separation, children, property, a falling-out. As a rule of thumb, read it every five years.
CONTACT US TODAY
A Will, done properly, for £180
Book your appointment
GET IN TOUCH
Let's talk about your case
A confidential first conversation, at no obligation. Tell us what's happened — we'll tell you exactly where you stand and what happens next.
CALL
HOURS
Monday-Thursday 9am - 5pm | Friday 9am - 4pm