Spring clean your life

With Spring nearly here, many of us will be thinking about clearing out, cleaning up and generally getting our life in order. Now is a great time to think about all the things that you’ve put off or haven’t got round to, and first up is having an up to date Will.

Where there’s a Will, there’s a way

Too many people in the UK don’t have a Will – in fact 2 out of 3. And there are almost as many excuses for not writing one as there are really good reasons for making it your top priority.

Many of us mistakenly believe that if we don’t have a Will, our spouse will automatically inherit. If you aren’t married, your partner receives nothing unless you have a Will. Making a Will is the only way to guarantee that your family is supported financially and provided for in the way you want.

If you already have a Will, you need to review it regularly. Your life is always changing and so should your Will. Whether it’s buying a new home, getting married, having children or getting divorced, it’s important to check your Will regularly to make sure it reflects these changes.

Time to move?

Having a spring clean at home may make you realise you don’t have the space you need and start you thinking about moving. Equally you may realise you have too much space and need to downsize. The property selling and buying process can often seem over complicated and drawn out but it needn’t be.

Being well prepared to sell your property. can help the transaction proceed more easily and quickly. From ensuring you have the correct planning and building consents in place for any work which have been carried out, to appointing your solicitor before you place your property on the market can help make the process as stress free as possible. As the buyer, making sure you have your finance in place and mortgage (if required) agreed in principle will put you in the best possible position when making an offer.

Location may be key to finding the right property but being well prepared can often be the deciding factor in whether you can sell your property and move in to your dream home.

Saying I do

Many couples get engaged over the Christmas break and will be planning their big day already but how many will have a pre-nuptial agreement on their wedding day checklist?

A pre-nuptial agreement is a contract between couples who are about to marry confirming ownership of assets, treatment of future earnings and potential division of assets if the marriage should break down.

With the rise of second and subsequent marriages, many people bring into these marriages wealth and assets built up over many years or inherited assets that they want to protect. Equally, if your child is getting married and stands to inherit significant wealth, you may want to encourage them to have a pre-nuptial agreement. It’s not an easy subject to raise, but if done properly it is the most effective way of protecting assets – however unromantic it may seem!