Wills Solicitors in Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall

You are not legally required to use a solicitor, but most people find that professional help makes the process clearer, safer and far more reliable. Wills need to meet strict legal standards to be valid, and mistakes in wording or witnessing can cause real problems later on. Even something small, such as a missing signature or a wrongly described asset, can make a Will invalid or open to challenge.

Our experienced Wills solicitors in Plymouth have seen many families struggle with homemade or poorly drafted Wills. By working with us, you can be confident that your Will is legally sound and reflects your wishes exactly. We’ll take time to talk through every detail, explain how inheritance tax or trusts might apply, and make sure your Will is written in a way that protects your family and your peace of mind.

You can, but it’s risky. DIY Will kits might seem quick and inexpensive, but they often don’t cover everything you need them to, and small mistakes can cause serious problems later on. Wills must meet strict legal requirements to be valid. If the wording is unclear or a signature is witnessed incorrectly, your Will could be challenged or even rejected after your death.

A shop-bought Will also can’t give you advice on inheritance tax, trusts, blended families, business assets or what happens if one of your beneficiaries dies before you. These are the things that cause most issues for families later.

Many people come to us after using a DIY Will that didn’t protect their loved ones in the way they thought it would. A professionally written Will is affordable, clear, and far more likely to achieve what you intend. It’s not just about filling in the blanks. It’s about making sure your wishes will stand up legally and be carried out exactly as you planned.

There are various ‘life events’ that mean your Will should be reviewed and updated. These include:

• Getting married

• Getting divorced

• Getting separated

• Having children

• Receiving inheritance

• Starting a business

• Closing or selling a business

• Acquiring significant assets

• Buying property

• Moving in with an unmarried partner

• If your spouse passes away before you

You can make small adjustments through a document called a codicil, or if bigger changes are needed, we can prepare a new Will that reflects your updated wishes. We’ll help you understand which approach is best and make the process simple, fast and stress-free.

If you have married, separated, divorced or had children since making your Will and no changes or updates have been made to it, then your partner and children will not automatically be entitled to any of your estate.

If your children or partner are not included in your Will, they can still make a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. But this can be extremely time consuming, expensive, and has the potential to cause lots of unnecessary family conflict.

Mirror Wills are two separate Wills, usually made by couples, that reflect each other’s wishes. They are a simple and effective way for partners to make sure their estates are dealt with consistently. For example, leaving everything to each other in the first instance and then to the same beneficiaries later on.

We can prepare mirror Wills quickly and cost-effectively, with the same care and attention as individual Wills. We’ll also explain what happens if one partner changes their Will later and how to keep both Wills up to date as your circumstances evolve.

To an extent, yes. You can create a trust in your Will over your share of your property. This arrangement would allow your spouse to live in the property for the remainder of their life and to move house if they wanted to do so. If they moved into residential care, your share of the property would not be used to pay their care costs. In order to do this your property needs to be held in a certain way and our lawyers also arrange this for you.

The trust would, however, only protect the share of the property owned by the deceased spouse, so may not help everyone.

Your original Will is a very important legal document and should always be kept safely. We offer secure storage at our Plymouth office so that your Will can be easily located and used when it’s needed. We’ll also register it so that your executors or loved ones can find it quickly through official channels.

Keeping your Will at home can risk loss or damage, so we strongly recommend professional storage. You’ll receive confirmation that your Will is safely held with us and can request a copy at any time.

Yes. We regularly offer home visits across Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall for clients who prefer to meet in person or who may have difficulty travelling. We can also arrange remote appointments where appropriate, so you can get the advice you need from the comfort of your own home.

During a home visit, we bring everything needed to take your instructions confidentially and securely. You’ll receive the same level of service as you would in our office, professional, personal and handled with care.