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Posted by on Oct 1, 2012 in Uncategorized | 6 comments

What would happen to your children if you died?

It’s one of those middle of the night questions that pops into my head while I’m unsuccessfully trying to sleep on my mountain of pregnancy pillows – what would happen to Curly Girl if OH and/or I died?

I know, a bit macabre for your coffee break reading, but I’m not going to sugar-coat this, it’s too important. If you or your partner or, god forbid, both of you died, who would provide for your children? Your family? Friends? The state?

Actually the answer is more complicated that you might think. This article from the Make a Will website gives a good basic explanation:

If you have children and you fail to appoint a guardian to look after them in the event that you die before they reach the age of 18 and if no one else has parental control of your children the Court will appoint guardians for you. It could take several months for the Court to appoint a guardian and in the intervening period your children could be taken into care. A Court appointed guardian will not necessarily be the person you would have preferred to look after your children.

Just the though of that makes me feel a bit sick.

A survey from RocketLawyer.com, a US legal services web site, in April this year found that 50% of Americans with children do not have a will. Even more alarming, 41% of baby boomers (age 55-64) don’t have one. The top three reasons cited by survey respondents for not having a will: procrastination, a belief that they don’t need one and cost.

So we’re not alone it seems. But with Peanut due to arrive in just over six weeks (gulp) OH and I have made the decision to finally get a will drawn up. And we have the perfect reason to get our butts in gear and get on with it because this November sees the launch of this year’s Will Aid campaign.

Photo credit: Christian Aid – Mike Goldwater – Niger
Will Aid is an annual fundraising campaign involving nine of the UK’s leading charities: ActionAid, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Age UK, NSPCC, Save the Children, Sightsavers, SCIAF (Scotland) and Trocaire (N. Ireland). It’s the UK’s most enduring and successful charity Will-making scheme and sees Will Aid solicitors all over the UK agree to write basic Wills during November, without charging their usual fee. These solicitors aim to raise as much money as possible for the Will Aid charities by asking Will-makers for a donation, which reflects the time and expertise they have devoted to writing the Will. The suggested donation is £90 for a single Will, £135 for mirror Wills or £40 for a codicil or change to a previous Will.

What I love about this campaign is that it has a dual purpose - it raises substantial money for charity, but also motivates people like me to get on and make their Will – something that many people have been meaning to get around to for years. Last November, solicitors all over the UK gave their time and expertise to Will Aid. Over 27,000 clients wrote a Will. Nine charities shared £2.2 million donated by Will-makers to Will Aid.

Marsland, Campaign Manager for Will Aid says:
“Often people make the assumption that if they die without a Will, their loved ones will still be automatically provided for, but solicitors know that this can be far from the truth. Will Aid is a fantastic opportunity to get an affordable Will with one of our friendly and approachable solicitors. They are giving their time without any payment to help you look after your loved ones and to support some very worthwhile causes. Making that call to book an appointment could be the most important thing you do this year!”

The Will Aid website also has information on Wills and inheritance issues as well as a useful Will planner that we’ll be using to help prepare our Will. In addition Will Aid has teamed up with Certainty, the National Will Register, so that Will Aid clients can register the location of their Will – for free. When a Will is needed, the register enables loved ones to quickly and easily find it.
The contact details of participating solicitors are now available online at www.willaid.org.uk or by phoning the hotline on 0300 0300 013. You should then contact the solicitor straight away to make an appointment for November. 
Go on. Do it. 

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  • http://www.bibsey.co.uk/ Bibsey Mama

    Brilliant post. Thanks for the reminder. I have been saying that I am going to sort this out of ages…

  • http://www.bod-for-tea.blogspot.com/ bod for tea

    I know me too. It was the swift kick up the backside I needed to make the appointment to be honest, and no better time to do it really! Hope you’re keeping well Mrs x

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