# Free downloadable Will Forms



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Hi Guys n Galls.
I thought it would be easy to just stick the title in Google but up come dozens from the states with a specific state emphasis or others that let you complete online and then ask for a credit card. Several others allowed my name and details but would not recognise a French postcode.

Anyone know or can suggest a free downloadable will forms site please? Just found our old ones dated 1997.

Ray.


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## randonneur (Jan 25, 2007)

Don't forget that as you are in France I think you have to register your Will with the local Mayor. This cropped up some time ago when we were over there. A Friend of ours has recently died in the UK, he had quite a number of properties that he rented out in UK but was also a French Resident. His wife is having a nightmare in UK trying to sort it out and she went back to France in July to sort the French side out. She took her Step-Daughter with her who is a Solicitor in UK, the French house is actually on the market for just under 500,000 euros so not a small place. Goodness knows how much red-tape she has had to contend with over there.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks randonneur.
I have read somewhere that UK wills are now respected in France. When my mum died here in France it was only the tax man that asked if there would be anything to pay on her estate. A simple no as it all went in home fees solved that one.

Our original purchase docs and deeds of this French house have our wishes noted in a clause (tontine) saying on the demise of one everything passes to the other and on the demise of us both it's to be shared between our two sons.

Ray.


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## randonneur (Jan 25, 2007)

Excellent.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Given the increasing prevalence of dementia it's also worth considering LPA (Lasting power of attorney) when considering legal protections. We recently added this protection to our wishes on the advice of our solicitor when revising our wills.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/legal-issues/

Terry


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I used the Which? legal services to make our wills. They are quite simple wills but they have a legal department that checks them over for you.

Recently did both Health and Financial LPA's for both of us through the Governement website (Office of the Public Guardian). https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney
They are now registered. Much cheaper than a solicitor and fairly easy to do. The biggest hassle is getting the signatures from the attorneys in the right order. The Office of the Public Guardian checks them and registers them. I think they were about £80 each and my friend paid a solicitor £400.

They recommend that everyone has them in place as illness/accident can happen to us all.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

patp said:


> I used the Which? legal services to make our wills. They are quite simple wills but they have a legal department that checks them over for you.
> 
> Recently did both Health and Financial LPA's for both of us through the Governement website (Office of the Public Guardian). https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney
> They are now registered. Much cheaper than a solicitor and fairly easy to do. The biggest hassle is getting the signatures from the attorneys in the right order. The Office of the Public Guardian checks them and registers them. I think they were about £80 each and my friend paid a solicitor £400.
> ...


Sound advice. I have a pal who refuses to believe that if he goes into hospital the staff will NOT take his wife's word for his treatment without an LPA if he is incapable of communication. Likewise he is "sure" as she's his wife she will be able to access his personal bank account:surprise:

He simply refuses to listen to anyone.

Andy


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Mrplodd said:


> I have a pal who refuses to believe that if he goes into hospital the staff will NOT take his wife's word for his treatment without an LPA if he is incapable of communication. Likewise he is "sure" as she's his wife she will be able to access his personal bank account/images/MotorhomeFacts_2014/smilies/tango_face_surprise.png
> 
> He simply refuses to listen to anyone.
> 
> Andy


I just don't understand anyone putting their loved one in such an invidious position. Obviously if he's beyond communication it won't bother him. But his wife could be traumatised.

My sister went thro this and 4yrs later she still can't talk about it, it was such a horrendous experience.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

When my mother was diagnosed as "unlikely to survive" and they carried on treating her I told them of her wishes not to be resuscitated. They asked me to leave the room and asked her, an unconscious woman, what her wishes were!
Luckily common sense prevailed and they put her on the pathway. Unlike a friend's father who was abroad and, therefore, privately funded by insurance. They kept him alive for weeks and weeks knowing that his condition was not survivable.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I did manage to find two downloadable will forms, one in WORD and the other in a pdf format. But the PDF format would not accept my France postcode and in the end I gave up.
Since then I have several more e-mails from Legacy Wills who sent the pdf form. But after trying to reply several times and being bounced back and now trying to call with no answer I can't recommend them.

Ray.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Might be worth joining Which? Ray. 

From memory, they lead you through the process and then the will is sent off for their legal bods to check it through.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I'm sure MS word has a will template, on phone so I'll check later.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

https://www.lawdepot.co.uk/contracts/last-will-and-testament-uk/#.XZSDZShKjDc


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

Is a downloaded will form legal? I was led to believe that a DIY will had to be handwritten to be legal.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I think if you fill it in with pen then it would be legal, but I think anything written down can be a will if it has the in sound mind sort of stuff in it, and is witnessed properly.


I couldn't find a Word template by the way.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/death-and-wills/wills/


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Pudsey_Bear said:


> https://www.lawdepot.co.uk/contracts/last-will-and-testament-uk/#.XZSDZShKjDc


Thanks Kev but they want paying. After saying it was free.?

Ray.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Both my parents and Chris's mum wrote very simple wills. They did not, mind, have property or investments etc. With each of them we were able to access their bank accounts, deal with pensions, cash in insurances, in fact everything we needed to do. Each organisation would just ask for the death certificate and the will which they would then copy and return to us.
From memory, two of them were written out on W H Smith pro forma type wills. I think I have described my dad's one somewhere


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks Pat. My wife is going to UK tomorrow and I have asked her to get a couple from Smiths and Post Office. So we will be belt and braces.

Ray.


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## baldlygo (Sep 19, 2006)

I was given some good advice to ensure your English will applies if you live and die in France. It is very easy but I'm ashamed to say I have not yet sorted anything.



> There are three types of will in France:
> 
> Holographic will (testament olographe): a basic French will that requires no formality.
> Authentic will (testament authentique): a French will that is made in the presence of a notary and signed by witnesses.
> Mystic will: a secret will sealed in an envelope.


Extract from https://www.expatica.com/fr/finance...ance-law-and-tax-apply-to-your-assets-101812/

I was also sent a suitable template which is attached


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks very much Paul. Now like you I must get down to it although as my wife is now en-route to UK I will wait for her return to sign things.

Ray.


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