Episode 1: About wills
Austin Lafferty explains the process of drafting a will.
Overview
People often put off writing a will until something triggers it, perhaps getting older or facing an illness. But dying without a will, especially unexpectedly, can leave devastating effects on the families left behind who then have to try to sort out the estate themselves.In this episode, solicitor Austin Lafferty explains the process of drafting a will and what sorts of things to include, from who should benefit to specific requests such as scattering of ashes or who should receive a prized possession such as jewellery or a model aeroplane collection.
He talks about how to provide for blended families and dispels many of the myths that people have, such as the assumption that a spouse will just inherit everything or that people don’t have enough to make it worthwhile even drafting a will. He talks about the risks of diy wills and why you shouldn’t save your wishes on your phone. Costs are also discussed, and ways of saving money through charity schemes such as Will Aid, as well as what to do if you have property abroad. Finally he gives his top tips for drafting a will and the relief felt when having a will in place.
Meet the contributors
Austin Lafferty
Consultant Solicitor
Austin is married and has two adult children – one of whom is a solicitor in London. He has run many road races including several marathons, the most recent being London 2015, and has raised tens of thousands of pounds for various charities. His main sport is karate – he is now a fourth Dan black belt. Austin has also worked for many years as a professional artist, specialising in drawn and painted portraits – both human and animal!
Sarah Roberts
Trainee Solicitor
Before becoming a freelance producer , Angela has had a long and varied career at the BBC – first as a radio producer on live topical phone in shows on BBC Radio Scotland and Radio 5 Live where she met and worked with Austin, before producing radio features for BBC Radio Scotland and Radio 4. She then moved to Digital Learning at BBC Scotland working on a number of campaigns such as A History of the World in 100 Objects, Commonwealth Class and BBC News School Report. Latterly Angela led Authors Live, a partnership project with Scottish Book Trust, producing live TV events on iplayer featuring children’s authors.
Transcript
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