Page 18 - March 2023

DREAM HOMES

Luxury living

The importance of making a Will

when you cohabit

Moving in together is an exciting next step but be careful you don’t in Fife
leave your partner, or family, in the lurch.

No one wants to think about death
or disaster when moving into a new What are the risks if you die without A stunning four-bed penthouse in Kinghorn
home, as a couple or family. However, a Will when you own a property and
in Scotland the rigid laws about cohabit?
who inherits your property if you die
without a Will can have unforeseen • No automatic rights: Unlike
spouses and civil partners,
consequences. cohabitees have no automatic
right to inherit. Depending on the
A Will can help to prevent those title deeds, your partner may only
unintended consequences and be entitled to a partial, or even,
safeguard the future of your loved no share of the property.
ones and your home. Even if you
already have a Will, it’s worth • Time is ticking: Your partner may
checking that it reflects your current be able to claim on your estate,
circumstances, including your new but only within six months, and
home. family members may contest their
claim.
So, rather than hope for the best, it’s • Your wishes go unheard:
safer to make a Will. It may be the Alternatively, a cohabitee you
last thing on your mind when you’re never wanted to inherit the
deciding where to place the sofa and property could go to court to
which cupboard to store the teabags claim a share.
in, but it should be on your list of things
to do. • Loved ones miss out: Your
children, or other chosen
beneficiaries, could miss out on
an inheritance you wanted them
to have.
Lynsey Kerr | Partner
Private Client Services • Legal disputes: Dealing with the
risks above could cause distress
lynseykerr@lindsays.co.uk and expense for your partner or
0131 656 5721
family.

Edinburgh | Glasgow | Dundee @lindsaysnews
lindsays.co.uk @lindsays

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