Event to be held to ensure your will is accurate and properly written

It is arguably the most important legal document any of us will ever sign, a final will and testament that spells out how your estate will be administered upon your death.
Closeup of an elderly woman's hand being held by a doctor , focus on handsCloseup of an elderly woman's hand being held by a doctor , focus on hands
Closeup of an elderly woman's hand being held by a doctor , focus on hands

However increasingly high numbers of people are failing to write a will and even worse are turning to unqualified practioners when trying to ensure that their loved ones are taken care of when they are gone.

Will writing is a developed legal skill but anyone in theory can draw up a will on behalf of another person, even if they have no formal legal training.

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More worryingly, as many two in five people in the North do not have a will prepared, with recent statistics showing 64 per cent of people believe all “will writers” are solicitors and 82 per cent assume training and qualifications are needed before becoming a will writer – none of which are true.

To help give the public more informed decisions on how best to draw up a proper will, The Yorkshire Post has teamed up with SFE (Solicitors for the Elderly) to stage a seminar open to the general public to help people understand the issues.

Lakshmi Turner, chief executive of SFE, said: “Less that 40 per cent of people in the North have a will in place and fewer than one in ten people have a lasting power of attorney (LPA). This means a worrying number of people in the region are failing to safeguard their wishes and affairs for the future. For those who are preparing for later life, many turn to off-the-shelf or ‘DIY’ legal kits as a quick and cheap solution.

“However, this is very much a specialist area of the law and documents of this nature carry extremely big responsibilities for all parties involved.

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“SFE’s event with The Yorkshire Post is an opportunity for people to find out more about the importance of these documents and the benefits of using a legal specialist to cut through the jargon and help protect you and your loved ones in later life.”

Mark Casci, business editor of the The Yorkshire Post, said: “This will be hugely informative and helpful event in terms of getting the right advice and direction when it comes to making sure your estate is handed on to the people you love in the way you desire. As our society welcomes more and more people reaching their retirement years, it is vital that we get this message out there and we at SFE and The Yorkshire Post are proud to do this.”

The event will take place at The Yorkshire Post’s offices on 26 Whitehall Road, Leeds, LS12 1BE on March 31. It will be a lunchtime event with refreshments provided.

Admission is free. To book a place please contact Tim Rogers on 0113 238 8839 or by emailing [email protected].

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