An Executor is a person who will administer your estate and will give effect to the wishes in your Will. You can appoint more than one Executor if you wish (but no more than four can prove a Will) and they can be either lay/professional Executors or a combination of both. Please add the names and addresses of your chosen Executors. An Executor can also be a beneficiary of your Will.
You may decide to include funeral wishes in your Will such as cremation of burial, where your ashes are to be scattered or interred, the type of service you wish to have or any other details you think are necessary. There is of course no need to include this in your Will if you family already know what your wishes are in this respect.
You can leave gifts of your personal possessions or monetary gifts to particular beneficiaries if you wish. Gifts can also be made to charities of your choice. Please add details of the gifts you wish to make, if any and to whom.
If you have young children, you may want to appoint guardians in your Will who could care for your children in the event of your death, which would include making decisions about their health, welfare and education. Please add the name and address of your guardian or guardians.
This is the remainder of your estate after the payment of funeral expenses and any liabilities. The residue can be distributed to one beneficiary or divided between a number of beneficiaries in equal or unequal proportions. Please add the names and addresses of those who are to benefit and in what proportions. If children are to benefit, please state whether they are to benefit upon attaining 18,21 or 25 years old. The Executors who will also act as Trustees will hold funds upon trust for your children until they attain the age you have chosen.
You may also wish to state what is to happen to a beneficiaries share of your estate if they die before you. If they have children, their share could pass equally between them or if not, perhaps their share could go back into the estate and be divided equally between the surviving beneficiaries named in that clause.
Should you wish to include anything else in your Will, please note it here.