Are cheap and even free wills risky?

You won’t be around to explain what you meant, and any confusion could lead to your wishes not being carried out. Don’t cut corners on Estate Planning, a professional does so much more than write a Will, they can give advice that saves you thousands in the long run.

There's nothing inherently wrong with a free will or a DIY will if your circumstances are genuinely straightforward. The difficulty is that many people don't realise when their situation has become more complex. Blended families, business owners, inheritance tax planning or children from previous relationships can all mean a simple template no longer gives the outcome you intended.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that making a will is the whole job. In our experience, some of the most valuable conversations aren't about the will itself at all - they're about Lasting Powers of Attorney and making sure the right people can make decisions if you're unable to.

Whichever route you choose, remember that will writing isn't a regulated legal activity in England and Wales, so it's worth understanding the experience, support and ongoing service you're actually receiving, not just the price.

For most people with straightforward affairs a home, some savings, a couple of beneficiaries a well made low cost or free will is perfectly sound. The real risk isn’t cost, it’s complexity dressed up as simplicity. Second marriages, children from different relationships, a business, property abroad, a beneficiary who can’t manage money that’s when a template quietly fails you, often years later when nobody’s around to fix it. People write a will and never touch it again, so it no longer matches their life. They store it somewhere nobody can find. Match the will to your life. Simple affairs, simple will. Anything complicated, pay someone who’s seen it go wrong before.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Free or cheap wills will only ever provide generic advice. A qualified will writer will provide personalised advice that goes far beyond preparing a document for you. I spend hours with my clients discussing far more than just preparing a document that states everything goes to our kids.
Are there children from different families? unmarried partners, vulnerable beneficiaries, Guardianship requirements, tax planning opportunities, asset protection, children predeceasing, signing and witnessing guidance, funeral wishes and pet protection, are all aspects of a will that need guidance.
Do not leave it to the remaining family to assume your wishes and everything will be sorted fairly once you have passed. Leave clear unambiguous instructions to ensure there are no lasting disputes

Free or cheap wills often come with inflated costs for trusts and lasting powers of attorney, so ensure you speak to a professional with clear upfront transparent pricing.

A free or low-cost will isn't inherently risky. For someone with straightforward circumstances, it's usually far better than having no will at all. The real risk is assuming every provider offers the same level of expertise. A high street solicitor may be excellent on many things, but may undertake will writing only occasionally. Equally, some professional will writers have significant experience, while others hold only basic qualifications with limited experience or support. The key is the individual's expertise, not their job title. The biggest mistakes are failing to review a will after major life events, overlooking inheritance tax and business assets, and relying on generic templates that don't reflect personal circumstances.

A will is one of the few financial documents where the cost of getting it wrong falls entirely on the people you love. For genuinely simple estates, a reputable low cost or online will can be perfectly viable, but ‘simple’ is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Second marriages, business interests, overseas assets, vulnerable beneficiaries or inheritance tax issues all demand proper advice.

The classic mistakes are failing to sign and witness a will correctly, using ambiguous wording, forgetting to update it after major life changes, and overlooking assets such as pensions that may pass outside the will.

However, I would not to let perfect be the enemy of done. Start by listing your assets and deciding who should benefit and who should act as executor. If your affairs are straightforward, a reputable low cost provider is a good start point; if they are not, professional advice is money well spent. A basic valid will beats no will at all. Dying intestate is the truly expensive option.

A will is one of those jobs where doing something simple is often far better than doing nothing at all. Free or low-cost options can be perfectly viable for straightforward estates, but the moment there is a blended family, unmarried partner, business, overseas asset, inheritance tax issue, vulnerable beneficiary or any family tension, advice becomes less of a luxury and more of a safety net. The biggest mistake is treating a will like a form-filling exercise rather than a legal document that has to work under pressure, often when emotions are running high. People also forget to update it after marriage, divorce, children or property changes, or they choose executors without thinking it through. My advice is simple: start with your circumstances, not the price tag. If your life is simple, a cheap will may do the job. If your life is complicated, cheap can become very expensive for the people left behind.

The old saying, you get what you pay for, could not be any more relevant here. We have recently just expanded into Wills and it is frightening the quality of some of the "free wills" that we are shown at The WIll Keeper. Many companies use "free wills" as a hook to get people in to their line of sight and when they are at their most vulnerable, hit them with lots of unneccessary and costly upsells. If you dont take the upsell and walk away with a free will, you're likely to have something that isnt worth the paper its written on. When it comest to Life and Death, these should be dealt with the utmost respect and with a professional. Having piece of mind knowing things are done properly should be at the forefront of your mind, not saving an extra fiver that could cost your family its inheritence