17/11/2025
Although a Will is one of the most important legal documents you can have, many people delay writing one. Common reasons include thinking they’re too young or assuming their estate will automatically pass to their loved ones if they are married, in a long-term relationship, or have children. However, a well-drafted, valid Will is the only way to ensure your assets are distributed as you intend. Nonetheless, even when a Will is being drafted, understanding what to include can feel daunting. It is easy to overlook less obvious possessions that hold financial or sentimental value.
At Russell & Russell, we understand that estate planning is not just about property and bank accounts, and when considering what to include in your Will, it can be difficult to know where to start. That is why we encourage clients to begin with a Personal Possessions Review, a practical first step to ensure your Will reflects your full wishes and avoids unexpected complications in the future.
What Is a Personal Possessions Review?
A Personal Possessions Review involves taking stock of your belongings, both tangible and digital, to ensure everything is fully accounted for in your Will.
What Should You Remember to Include?
While most people remember the obvious assets like property and savings, it is just as important to consider:
1. Valuable and Collectable Items
- Jewellery, watches, antiques, and family heirlooms
- Collectables, including coins, stamps, vintage toys, or artwork
- Vehicles, including cars or motorbikes
- High-value personal items like photography equipment or musical instruments
It will be important to seek legal advice to structure your estate efficiently, as some of these items may have Inheritance Tax (IHT) implications.
2. Sentimental Belongings
Even items with seemingly low monetary value can hold emotional importance. Letters, photo albums, homeware, or handmade gifts can all be deeply meaningful to your loved ones. Other items, such as pieces of clothing, may be especially important to them, even if you are unaware of their significance. Discussing these with your family can help avoid misunderstandings and ensure these are passed on thoughtfully.
3. Digital Assets
Among the most overlooked items, yet growing in value, are digital assets. These include:
- Passwords to social media, online music, and email accounts
- Online subscriptions or cloud storage
- Domain names or websites
- Less common, yet increasingly relevant, are assets such as cryptocurrency and NFTs.
Make sure you take full stock of the accounts that you hold and leave clear instructions on how to access these and how they should be handled after your death. You could also consider including them in a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) for property and financial affairs. Including instructions regarding online assets in an LPA will allow the person you appoint as your attorney to manage these in the event you lose mental capacity. Read more in our article: 5 Reasons to Make an LPA.
4. Unusual or Easily Forgotten Assets
When completing your Personal Possessions Review, don’t forget to include some of these commonly forgotten assets:
- Intellectual property (e.g. copyrights or patents)
- Loyalty points, air miles, or gift cards
- Designer clothing or accessories, such as high-value handbags or shoes
Review Your Will and Keep It Up to Date
When life changes or a significant event occurs, your Will should be updated to reflect these changes. Regular reviews of your possessions ensure your Will remains relevant and accurately reflects your current wishes. This is especially important after major life events such as marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child.
Why Using Regulated Will Writers Matters
When it comes to something as important as your Will, professional legal guidance is invaluable, even if your estate seems straightforward. While using low-cost, unregulated, or online options may appear cost-effective for simple situations, they often fail to address important legal requirements, and potential complications aren’t always obvious. Here are some key reasons why regulated professionals make a difference:
- Tailored, Accurate Advice: Even seemingly straightforward estates can have hidden complexities. Regulated solicitors have the qualifications, experience and necessary legal knowledge to identify potential issues you might not consider, advise on tax implications even for modest estates, and ensure every detail is legally sound. At Russell & Russell, our regulated Will writers can guide you on how best to distribute everything from sentimental items to digital accounts and help structure your Will to minimise the risk of disputes. Without experienced, regulated advice, important legal requirements may be overlooked, potentially leaving your Will vulnerable to challenges or your wishes unfulfilled.
- Regulatory Accountability and Quality Standards: Choosing a solicitor or law firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) means working with someone bound by professional conduct rules and quality standards. In contrast, unregulated providers operate without such safeguards, meaning there is less recourse if important provisions are missed or the document is incorrectly drafted.
- Long-term Client Protection: Regulated professionals are required to carry professional indemnity insurance to protect you against errors. Regardless of the complexity of your estate, this matters for every Will. Even small mistakes can have significant consequences for your loved ones. Typically, unregulated services offer limited liability protection, leaving beneficiaries vulnerable if disputes arise over the contents of the Will or how it was drafted.
With contentious probate claims (disputes over the Will or inheritance) increasing, particularly those involving poorly drafted Wills, investing in regulated professional assistance can help prevent disputes and ensure your estate is managed efficiently. At Russell & Russell, our specialist Will writers can guide you through the process, helping you make informed decisions and ensuring your Will is both legally sound and tax efficient.
Read some of our previous articles about what else to consider when making a Will:
- Do You Need a Solicitor to Write a Will?
- What to Consider When Making a Will
- Why Everyone Needs a Will
Wills Solicitors Near Me
Russell & Russell Solicitors is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), and our wills and probate department has extensive experience in will writing, probate and asset management.
We are also accredited by the Law Society’s Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme, which sets the benchmark for best practice and transparency in the provision of wills and estate planning services.
All members of our Wills and Probate team are qualified members of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers, an independent organisation of legal advisers who provide specialist legal advice for older and vulnerable people, their families and carers. The department is also a dementia-friendly business. The specific experience of individual team members can be seen in the Wills & Probate team profiles.
To find out more about our Will writing services in Bolton, Chester and across the North West, including to ask about the cost of writing a Will, or to speak to one of our specialist Wills solicitors, call us today on 0800 103 2600 or click here to request a call back.
Please note that this article is meant as general guidance and not intended as legal or professional advice. Updates to the law may have changed since this article was published.
Please note that this article is meant as general guidance and not intended as legal or professional advice. Updates to the law may have changed since this article was published.