YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU - so please make a will

The thorny issue of making a will and deciding who will get what when you die is the focus of a new mainstream TV series Can’t Take It with You (BBC2, Fridays).

The series is fronted by business guru Sir Gerry Robinson, last seen on our screens investigating issues relating to care homes, and prior to that tackling management within the NHS.

Now he brings his incisive style to the emotional dilemmas people face in writing a will, working alongside a lawyer to providereal people with help in wrestling with the often taboo process of deciding how to divide up their estate.

Divorce, re-marriage and family breakdown means that many people are now part of complicated extended family structures. When it comes to deciding how to split their assets on their death (bearing in mind that no one knows exactly when this will be and under what circumstances) people have to confront numerous complexities and potential complications.

Not only may poor decisions lead to bad feeling and disputes after the individual’s death, they can also create a situation where their wishes are not able to be carried out in the way they had intended.

Expert legal advice is required in order to address the situation and ensure that you and, if appropriate, your partner or spouse have a robust and well-constructed will that reflects your wishes.

It can be done – and if you don’t already have a will or it is in need of updating, it should be done without further delay.

Ian Bowyer

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