A will-writing appointment is an instruction-taking session, not an advice session. Your will-writer can only record what you tell them. The appointment goes better — and saves you time and the risk of a second sitting — when you arrive with clear decisions already made about three things: who your assets should pass to, who should manage that process, and what happens to anyone who depends on you.
This guide covers what your will-writer will ask, what to bring, and where the limits of the appointment are.
What the appointment involves
Your will-writer will take your instructions across three broad areas: your personal circumstances, what you own, and your wishes. The length of the appointment depends on the complexity of your affairs. A straightforward will can be dealt with in a single session; a second marriage, children from a previous relationship, property abroad, or a business interest will take longer and may need a follow-up.
The appointment is not a financial planning consultation. Your will-writer is recording your instructions in legally valid form. If your estate may be subject to inheritance tax, or if you want to consider how your assets are structured, that is a separate conversation with a solicitor or independent financial adviser.
Once the appointment is complete, your will-writer drafts the document and returns it to you for review. To be legally valid, the will must be signed in the presence of two witnesses, who must each also sign it (Wills Act 1837). A beneficiary — or the spouse or civil partner of a beneficiary — should not act as a witness: doing so does not invalidate the will, but it makes that person’s gift under it void.
The questions your will-writer will ask
Your personal circumstances
Your will-writer will confirm your full legal name, date of birth, address, and National Insurance number. They will ask about your marital or civil partnership status, whether you have been married before, and whether you have children — including stepchildren, adopted children, or children from a previous relationship.
These details are not administrative. The law in England and Wales treats different family structures differently when an estate is distributed, and a will that does not reflect your actual circumstances can create disputes.
What you own
You do not need precise valuations for the appointment. Your will-writer needs a working picture of what you hold: whether you own property, what financial accounts and investments you have, and whether you have life insurance or pension savings.
For property, they will want to know whether you own it in your sole name or jointly. If jointly, they will ask whether the ownership is as joint tenants or tenants in common — these are legally different forms of ownership with different effects on what passes under your will (GOV.UK explains both under “joint property ownership”).
Most pension savings, and any life insurance policy written in trust, do not pass under your will. They pass according to the nomination or trust held by the provider. A life insurance policy that is not written in trust forms part of your estate and is dealt with under your will. Your will-writer may ask about these to make sure the distinction is clear, but the direction of pension funds is handled separately — through an expression of wishes submitted directly to your pension provider.
Your wishes
This is the core of the appointment. Your will-writer will ask:
- Who should receive your estate, and in what proportions (your residuary beneficiaries)
- Whether you want to leave specific items or sums to particular people (specific bequests)
- What should happen if a beneficiary dies before you
- Who should act as your executor — the person responsible for administering your estate
- If you have children under 18, who should be appointed as their guardian
These are decisions only you can make. Arriving without having thought through each of them adds time to the appointment and may mean returning for a second session.
What to bring in writing
A will-writer works more accurately when you arrive with written notes. Do not rely on memory during the appointment.
People involved
- Your full legal name, including any previous names (by marriage or deed poll)
- The full legal name, date of birth, current address, and relationship of every proposed beneficiary
- The full name and address of each proposed executor, and confirmation they have agreed to act
- If relevant: the full name and address of any proposed guardian, and confirmation they have agreed
Assets
- Address of each property; whether owned solely or jointly; if jointly, the form of ownership (joint tenants or tenants in common); approximate value
- Name of each bank or building society; whether accounts are sole or joint
- Names of ISA, investment, or pension providers
- Life insurance: provider and policy number, and whether the policy is written in trust
- Any business interests, shareholdings in private companies, or other significant assets
Existing documents
- Whether you have an existing will and where the original is held
- Whether a lasting power of attorney is in place; if so, who the attorneys are and where the document is stored
- Whether you have made an expression of wishes to any pension provider
Your will-writer does not need original documents at the appointment. Photographs or handwritten notes are sufficient.
What a will-writer cannot help with
A will-writer can record your wishes in legally valid form. The appointment does not extend to:
Inheritance tax planning
The nil-rate band is £325,000 per person, with a further residence nil-rate band of up to £175,000 where a main home passes to direct descendants — both frozen until April 2031 (GOV.UK). If your estate may exceed the allowances available to you, you may wish to take separate advice on your tax position before you give your will instructions, not during them.
Financial advice
Your will-writer cannot advise on how to structure, invest, or reallocate your assets. That requires a regulated financial adviser.
Pension nominations
Pension funds are outside the scope of a will. The direction of those funds is a separate action — an expression of wishes submitted directly to each pension provider.
Cross-border estates
If you hold significant assets in another jurisdiction, your will-writer may advise that a separate will for that country is required. A will made in England and Wales does not automatically govern foreign assets.
Contested claims
If you are concerned that your will may be challenged — for example by a dependant who may have a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 — that is a question for a solicitor, not a will-writer appointment.
Records this process asks for
The following is what the will-writing process typically requires. Gathering these before the appointment makes the session shorter and the document more accurate.
Identity
- Full legal name, including any previous names
- Date of birth
- Current address
- National Insurance number
Property
- Full address of each property
- Form of ownership: sole name, joint tenants, or tenants in common
- Approximate current value
- Mortgage provider, if applicable
- Title register entry where available (obtainable from HM Land Registry)
Financial accounts
- Name of each bank or building society
- Whether each account is sole or joint
- Approximate balances for current and savings accounts
Pensions and life insurance
- Name of pension provider and scheme reference for each pension held
- Whether a current expression of wishes (nomination form) is on file with each provider
- Life insurance: provider, policy number, sum assured, and whether written in trust
Beneficiaries
- Full legal name, date of birth, current address, and relationship for each beneficiary
- Substitution instructions in the event a beneficiary predeceases you
Executors
- Full legal name and address for each executor
- Confirmation they have been asked and have agreed to act
- Name of a substitute executor if desired
Guardians (where applicable)
- Full legal name and address
- Confirmation they have been asked and have agreed
Existing documents
- Location of any existing will (original copy and who holds it)
- Whether a lasting power of attorney is in place; where the original is held; who the attorneys are
- Name and contact details of any solicitor currently holding documents on your behalf
What to do next
Prepare those records before your appointment. Write them down or save them to a secure record — do not rely on recalling them during the session. An underprepared appointment takes longer and produces a less accurate instruction set.
If you do not yet hold a lasting power of attorney, note that this is a separate legal document from a will. A will takes effect after death; a lasting power of attorney authorises someone to act on your behalf during your lifetime if you lose mental capacity. The two are often prepared around the same time but are distinct processes, handled through the Office of the Public Guardian, which charges £92 to register each LPA (£184 for both types) as of November 2025.
The Valoren First Sitting is designed to help you gather and organise the records above before professional appointments. The Valoren Letter Pack includes a Personal Records Audit that covers many of the items listed here.
Applies to England and Wales. Valoren is not a solicitor or regulated adviser. This article is for information only.