Nearly half of Britons over 55 do not have a will - and marriage could even make it void
WILLS are an important yet scary thing to do but over half of Britons over the age of 55 are yet to make one.
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Making a will can be hard when faced with the sad reality of what they represent.
Dividing assets such as property and bank accounts as well as treasured possessions are all important elements of someone's life that need to be considered.
Macmillan Cancer Support has revealed that nearly half of Britons aged over 55 don’t have a will, with the top reason being “just never got round to it" (42 per cent).
What many may not realise is that even those who do have one, need to update it if getting married or it could make it void.
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Almost 1.5 million people admit they haven't updated theirs
Almost 1.5 million people admit they haven't updated theirs since first getting one and marriage will automatically revoke an old will, which many may not realise.
Therefore after tying the know, both partners should then reevaluate their will and update it to include the correct people.
It isn’t just a change to a marital status that could put the validity of a will at risk, with many admitting that their ignorance in updating it means forgetting important people in the will.
A survey of 2,000 people found that one in five still includes an ex-partner in their will, whilst one in ten still hadn’t added their children or grandchildren.
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Those who hold a will are advised to not only update it after a huge change in their life but also every five years, despite a quarter not managing to abide by this.
A will can apply to anyone who has anything of value, despite 26 per cent believing they have nothing of worth and 21 per cent thinking they need to do it when they are older.
Macmillan is offering a free will service this month in an attempt to help people get theirs started in the new year.
Craig Fordham, Director of Legacies at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “This January, Macmillan wants to help people take charge of their will and think about the type of legacy they want to leave behind.
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“The start of the year is the perfect time to get your affairs in order and make arrangements for your loved ones and the causes closest to you.
“It’s a sad reality to face, but one in two of us will now face a cancer diagnosis at some point in our lifetime.
“While it’s not essential, we hope you might consider leaving a gift to Macmillan as well as your loved ones.
“Every penny can make a difference and your generosity will help us continue to support the growing number of people living with cancer for years to come.”
