Introducing our Will-writing service - The Co-operative Bank

Simple, quick
Will writing
Because that nagging
voice in your head
does have a point

Introducing the Will writing service from
The Co-operative Legal Services
We’ve made making a Will straightforward and simple. A Will is a legal document that enables
you to say who you want to benefit from your estate when you are no longer here. Having a
Will means you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that the people you care about will be
cared for exactly as you would wish.
Having a Will also allows you to legally appoint people you
trust to look after the administration of your property and
possessions when the time comes; things like cashing in
assets, paying debts and distributing what’s left to the right
people.
Another essential job your Will does is protecting your assets,
so that they can be used to provide for your family and cover
matters such as residential care and tax planning.
No hidden costs
• The Co-operative Legal Services offers fixed fee
pricing wherever possible
• You will always know what the charges will be at
every stage
• You stay in control of the costs, meaning no
surprises along the way

Three simple steps to writing your Will
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Talk to an adviser in branch today or call The Co-operative Legal Services for free initial legal advice
based on your circumstances or to book an appointment to write your Will with one of their specialists
on 0844 728 0160.
The Co-operative Legal Services will call you at a convenient time to take your instructions over the
phone, whilst you’re in the comfort of your own home.
Your Will will then be prepared and The Co-operative Legal Services will send it to you for your approval,
for you to sign and have witnessed and send back to them to store free of charge until it is needed.

What happens if I don’t have a Will?
If you die without a Will, the ‘Rules of Intestacy’ will decide who receives your property
and possessions.
But as the rules were created back in 1925, they may not properly reflect today’s lifestyles and family arrangements and although
they aim to care for spouses, civil partners and biological children, they ignore unmarried partners, step-children, friends and
charities. If you don’t have a Will, you won’t have the chance to put plans in place for your children, provide for vulnerable
beneficiaries or protect the value of your estate from tax so as to preserve it for loved ones.
Without a Will your
estate may not be
distributed in the
way you would like

The importance of keeping
a Will up to date
You may have written a Will before – perhaps when you
bought your first house or when your children were young.
But even if you passed away 30 or more years after your Will
was written, your original wishes would still stand and need
to be carried out after you died – even if your circumstances
had changed considerably over the years.
It is advisable to review your Will after every significant life
change (such as a change in a relationship, having children,
an unexpected change in your personal wealth, the illness of
a loved one or retirement) so you can ensure it still reflects
your wishes. Certain events (like marriage or divorce) mean
that parts of your existing Will – or even all of it – will
automatically become invalid – so an urgent re-write would
be necessary. The Co-operative Legal Services specialist will
discuss with you the life changes that have taken place since
you last wrote your Will – and can advise as to how your Will
needs to be amended.
Births, marriages and
divorces all impact upon
an existing Will
Peace of mind – your Will
professionally written by
specialists
Not all Wills are written by a legal professional; some people
write their Wills using self-help books and DIY packs.
However, Wills are important legal documents with strict
rules – and if you don’t stick to those rules, your Will may
not be valid.
That’s why they believe it’s in the best interests of you and
your family to have your Will written by a specialist. The
Co-operative Legal Services team will discuss your wishes
and draft your Will so it reflects your needs, plus they’ll
ensure all legal formalities are complied with. Writing your
Will this way means you’ll have total peace of mind because
you’ll know your loved ones are properly protected – no
matter what the future holds.

If you answer ‘yes’ to any
of the questions below,
you should definitely
write a Will
Q: Are you in a relationship? (living with a
partner, married or in a civil partnership)
Q: Would you like to provide for children or
grandchildren?
Q: Do you want to specify who should care
for your children if something happens
to you?
Q: Do you wish to leave money to someone
vulnerable? (e.g. with a disability, divorcing or
struggling financially)
Q: Do you own a property?
Q: Do you have other assets you wish to
leave to particular people? (e.g. shares,
savings, investments)
Q: Does paying Inheritance Tax concern you?
(currently 40% on property, possessions and
savings totalling over £325,000 per person)
Our services include…
The Co-operative Legal Services specialist
will help prepare documents that provide
protection for you and your loved ones:
• Living Will – allows you to state the type of care and
treatment that you would, or would not like to receive,
should you later be diagnosed with a terminal illness or
become seriously unwell.
• Single Wills – a Will for single people in which you name
Executors to administer your estate, Guardians for any
children under 18 and the Beneficiaries of your estate.
Specific wishes regarding charities, pets and funeral
arrangements can also be recorded.
• Mirror Will – a Will for couples (unmarried partners and
those married or in civil partnerships) with similar wishes,
including all the features included in a Single Will.
• Lasting Power of Attorney – lets you nominate
another person, or people, to manage your assets on your
behalf in the event that you are unable to do so through
physical or mental incapacity.
• Trusts – Trusts are widely used in Wills, but few people
really understand what a trust is. In short, a trust exists
when one or more people look after property or assets for
the benefit of one or more other people.

Trust The Co-operative Legal Services to
help you in so many ways
The Co-operative Legal Services are part of The Co-operative Group. So you know you
can rely on their specialists to help you deal with a whole range of other legal issues.
These include family law issues such as ways you can protect yourself financially when
you start a new relationship by preparing a pre-nuptial agreement, advising you on
cohabitation, what happens if a relationship breaks down including dealing with finances
and arrangements for children and helping your children get on the housing ladder.
We can also help with probate, personal injury claims and employment law, or when
you need to write a new Will or amend an existing one. Conveyancing services can be
arranged too, through an approved panel of experts.
For advice or to find out more call us on 0844 728 0160

To see how we could
help you call
0844 728 0160
8am to 8pm Monday to Friday
9am to 1pm Saturdays
or visit our website at
www.co-operativelegal
services.co.uk
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The Co-operative Legal Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under registration number 567391. A list of the Directors is available
for inspection at our Registered Office. The Co-operative Legal Services is a trading name of Co-operative Legal Services Limited. Registered Office: Co-operative Legal Services
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