DIY wills – Who wants to live forever? – S02E06 – Battle of Wills Video Series

Transcript

Adrian Corbould: Who wants to live forever? Brian May’s Red Special aka, the do it yourself will.

Hello, I’m Adrian Corbould, Accredited Specialist at Turnbull Hill with the Battle of Wills series where I talk about contested wills and estates generally.

Queen, one of the best bands ever created. Little known fact Brian May who has been their lead guitarist since the 1960’s, he has always used a guitar he made himself in his teen years with his dad.

It’s made completely from scratch, the neck is made out of a 100-year-old fireplace, some of the springs are old motorbike parts and it’s called the Red Special. It’s a big red-looking guitar. He’s used that for 50 years. Do it yourself. As you can see he’s done a wonderful job with it. You’d think he would have hired the best luthier guitar maker to make one for him, but this works for him.

That’s all very good for him. However, because he’s one of the best guitar players ever but for everyone else, yes do it yourself wills are available. You can get them from any post office newsagent and do it yourself. How do you know that what you are doing is correct? How do you know that if you leave property to someone that you actually own the property? You might own it jointly thereby your will has no effect because your joint share goes to the surviving joint owner irrespective of the will.

Have you considered that there are people who may contest your will such as the family provision possible claimants, spouse, children, people who have lived with you as dependants, carers? All these things that I would not expect any layperson to know. Unless you’re the equivalent of Brian May I seriously recommend you don’t get a do it yourself will.

Yes, it’ll do the job, possibly, but if it doesn’t do what you want or there is some fault in it that needs to be examined, investigated it’s going to cost a lot of money, a lot of time, a lot of resources and a lot of hassle. Get a lawyer made will.

I hope this has been of use. Talk again next time.

Turnbull Hill Lawyers, and specifically Adrian Corbould, have been named in the prestigious 2024 Doyles Guide. Both have been listed in the guide since 2018.