When you write your Will, you have the right to nominate whoever you want as beneficiaries of your estate. Even if you have children or are married, you are still entitled to nominate someone else to receive your estate, be it a family friend or a charity.

The only thing to bear in mind is that, once you die, if your relatives are unhappy with the Will they can contest it. Whether or not they are successful will largely depend on how well the Will is written (hence the importance of having a professionally drafted Will), whether they have any evidence to prove you were not in your right mind when you wrote it and whether they were dependent on you financially.

For further advice on writing a relative out of your Will, it is advisable to call and speak to one of our advisors who will be able to ensure that your Will is competently drafted so that there is as little chance as possible of the Will being successfully challenged.

Charlotte Cumbicus-Gunn
Probate Advisor

If you need further help or advice on dealing with estate administration or require more information on Probate in general, please call The Probate Bureau‘s free helpline on 0800 028 2837