
Talking about Will writing is not always easy, especially when it is with your partner, but what is the alternative, ending up like her? Well, we hope not. We’ve had clients who have Wills, but their partners don’t and most times when we ask why? The response we often get is “(S)He will be uncomfortable discussing the subject” and this can be true in some cases. There was also a time a client mentioned that her partner started to think she was encouraging him to write a Will simply because she wants to kill him after he does.
So does this mean you shouldn’t discuss writing a Will with your partner? Absolutely not, in fact, it is advisable that you do, simply because of the damage that may arise from not writing one in the event that the unexpected happens. So, if you want to have the discussion with your partner without it becoming awkward or suspicious, how do you go about it? Well, below are five easy steps to doing so:
1. Find/Create the Right Opportunity:
This is the first and most important step. If you have a partner that might be uncomfortable with this sort of discussion, it is best for you to find or create the right opportunity. Start by creating a conversation based on something you saw online, in a movie or in a newspaper that is talking about estate planning and the challenges people face when they don’t have one or even severe cases like our make-believe video. That way, the conversation will be more relatable as opposed to just saying “Babe, you need to write your Will now“. Also, Ensure you have his/her full attention when you want to have the conversation. Don’t try to have the conversation in a public place that might have noise, distractions and lots of people around, we suggest having this conversation at home or in a private place.Â
2. Be Prepared:
While you might not have all the answers, it is however important that you carry out proper research about Will writing simply because your partner will have questions and you should be able to respond to some of his/her questions. If you aren’t able to provide adequate answers, it will be easy for him/her to dismiss the conversation. For the questions that you might not have answers to, you can always get back to him/her on it.
3. State Your Motive:
This is very important and will most likely prevent your partner from suspecting you want to kill them (Like seriously). Be honest about why you want them to write their Will because it sometimes vary, for example: “I don’t want to be kicked out of the house in the event that you are no more” or “I want to make sure that finance will not be a problem for the children and I, in the event that you are no more”, “I and your children wouldn’t want to go through a long and difficult process in the court to claim your properties and pension funds in the event that you are no more” or even “I want us to be able to appoint a guardian for our minor children in the event that we are no more”. Whatever the reason is, it is better you express your concerns openly, to ensure trust remains between you and your partner.
4. Mention Those Who Might be Affected:
In most cases, there are usually many Beneficiaries from a Will, so you should help your partner see the importance of writing a Will by letting him/her know all the people that might be affected if (s)he doesn’t write one. Feel free to mention yourself, his/her children, his siblings, nephews & nieces, friends and even employees if he owns a business. That way (s)he realises that a lot of people might lose a lot if he doesn’t take the necessary action.
5. Share Contacts of Professionals
It is not unusual for your partner to have more questions that you might not be able to answer or (s)he might need some further consultation about writing a Will, so, feel free to share the contact of a trustworthy estate planning company like Leadway Capital and Trusts. If your partner needs someone to talk to, (s)he can call/chat with us on WhatsApp on 08129997204 or send us an email to  and we will be happy to help.
The truth is writing a Will is very essential and should be done immediately, however, it is important that you don’t seem too pushy and make your partner feel too pressured and then start to suspect you may have an ulterior motive. Ensure you give him/her some space to make more enquires and discuss with a professional. If your partner is always very busy and might not have a lot of time to write a Will, you are in luck, feel free to introduce him/her to iWill, with iWill, (s)he can write his/her Will in 15 minutes or less, visit https://wills.leadwaycapital.com/ to get started today.Â