Table of Contents

1 Wills and Other Death Disposition
2 Restrictions on Testamentary Freedom
3 Testamentary Capacity and Intention
4 Requirements for Valid Execution
5 Revocation of Wills
6 Alteration to Wills and Use of Codicils
7 Construction and Interpretation of Wills
8 Why Gifts in Wills Might Fail
9 Wills Dealing with Property Abroad
10 Locating and Storing Wills
11 Appointment of Executors and Trustees
12 Appointment of Testamentary Guardians
13 Legacies
14 Dealing with the Home and Land
15 Residuary Gifts Including Residuary Trusts
16 Planning a Tax-efficient Will
17 Powers to Deal with Income and Capital
18 Administrative Powers for Personal Representatives and Trustees
19 Funeral and Other Requests
20 Practical Issues when Taking Instructions and at Execution
21 Tips on Avoiding Drafting Pitfalls

Appendices
1 A Family Will
2 Intestacy Rules
3Planning a Tax-efficient Will – Case Studies

About the Author

Professor Lesley King is co-author of A Practitioner’s Guide to Wills (Wildy, Simmonds & Hill); Wills, Taxation and Administration: A Practical Guide; A Modern Approach to Wills, Administrations and Estate Planning and editor of The Probate Practitioner’s Handbook. She is the wills and probate columnist for The Law Society Gazette and writes and lectures extensively on wills, taxation and related matters. Peter Gausden was formerly a principal lecturer at the College of Law. He is now a consultant solicitor at Rowlinsons advising on probate and estate planning. His contributions to legal publications include Tolley’s Administration of Estates and Tolley’s Guidance and he is co-author to A Practitioner’s Guide to Wills (Wildy, Simmonds & Hill).