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Do I need to change my Will?

Older couple

Did you make your Will many years ago? Is it gathering dust? Have your circumstances changed since you wrote it? Did you know people are 4 times more likely to review their gas or electricity supplier than their Will? It might be time to make some changes.

Think about the changes that have happened in your life since you signed your Will. You may have welcomed a new child or grandchild into the family. Any property you own may have changed in value. You might have received an inheritance or celebrated a windfall. Perhaps you’ve invested in a valuable piece of jewellery or a piece of antique furniture. Sadly, beneficiaries you named may have passed away. Circumstances like these all impact upon your Will and should make you think about revising it.

You should take a fresh look at your Will every two or three years, especially after major life changes. If you remarry for example, your current Will becomes null and void. This means that you die intestate and the State decides who benefits from your estate. It’s so important to ensure that your life decisions are accounted for within your Will.

There have also been changes to Inheritance Tax legislation recently which might also have an impact on your Will.

A valid Will is also essential if you want to avoid misunderstandings after your death. Ensuring that your estate is planned and organised reduces the stress on loved ones during a distressing time.

We strongly advise visiting a solicitor to make or amend a Will – they are the experts. However, the process doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming, especially if you spend a little time preparing beforehand so that you are sure of the content you want to include.

Changing a Will can be as simple as drawing up a codicil (an addition or change to an existing Will) that can be signed and kept with the original.
 

Will to Change

Will to Change magazine

Our 'Will to Change' magazine explains all about the Will making process and includes a free pull-out Will changer. 

Order a free copy by contacting Linda or Elaine at our office, via our contact form, email info@ageni.org or telephone
028 9024 5729.

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      A download is a document (like a research report, a leaflet, or an application form) that can be transferred from our website to your computer. You can download a file, view it on your screen, print it, or save it to your computer.

      What is a PDF?

      PDF stands for ‘portable document format’.

      Most downloads on this website are PDFs. We use this format to ensure that the document looks the same on everyone’s computer (website pages, by contrast, appear differently depending on how people have got their computer set up).

      How do I download a PDF?

      Computers use a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader to download PDFs. If you try clicking on a link to download a PDF and it doesn’t work, you will need to install Adobe Acrobat Reader onto your computer.

      How do I install Adobe Acrobat Reader?

      The process is quite straightforward and is free.

      1. Go to opens link in new window http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/
      2. Click ‘Download’.
      3. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Run’, then choose this option.
      4. Click ‘Next’.
      5. Click ‘Install’
      6. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Finish’, then choose this option.

      How do I change a download?

      PDFs cannot be changed. If you need to be able to type into a downloaded document (for example, if we are offering a letter template that you need to put your name on) we will provide it as a Microsoft Word document rather than a PDF. You can then download it, type into it and save it to your computer.

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      Downloads will open on your computer in a new browser window.

      Inside this window (below all your web browser menus), there will be a toolbar with options for you to print or save the document.

      Close the browser window to return to the Age UK website.

      Can my screen reader read PDF downloads?

      We have made every effort to make our PDFs accessible to screen readers. Here is an overview of your accessibility options available in Acrobat Reader. Please ensure that you have downloaded the latest version of Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Reader website to ensure that they are included in your version of the programme.

      You can use Adobe Reader to read a PDF out loud with the following shortcut keys:

      • Read the document: Shift +Ctrl+Y
      • Read the open page only: Shift +Ctrl+V
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      • Pause: Shift+Ctrl+C
      • Stop Shift+Ctrl+E


      You can also convert a PDF into a web page by following these steps:

      • Copy the URL (web address) of the document (right-click on the link and select ‘Save target as’ or ‘Copy link’).
      • Open the Adobe online conversion tool in your browser and paste the URL into the URL box.
      • Tick the HTML box on the Format option and click ‘Convert’.


      You can convert a PDF document into a text file for use with other software and hardware such as Braille printers by opening the PDF and choosing ‘Save as text’ from the File menu.

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