We don’t always think of writing administrative documents or going to see a notary before being quite old, but we are very wrong. Here is why.
Make your will? Many prefer not to think about it … and postpone the act from year to year. For fear, by superstition, or simply because they tell themselves that they still have time. Some believe that it only concerns people who have a substantial heritage or the elderly. Others do not know where to start, or fear that it is complicated and too expensive for them. Result: they sometimes wait too long before launching. However, this document can change everything at the time of a succession. A will allows you to choose who will go by, to protect a spouse, a child, a loved one. Without this document, it is the law that decides. And it can quickly become a source of conflicts in any family.
So, to avoid unpleasant surprises and tensions, it is better to take the lead by writing your will at the right time. Notaries and lawyers are generally clear on the subject: there is no minimum or maximum age, but certain situations must push people to take the plunge. “Any major event in life – whether it is to start your first job, to get married or even to buy a house – is a sufficient reason to put an in place”explains the Qarrar Somji lawyer of Witan Solicitors to our colleagues from Huffingtonpost.
The notary Carenne Ahiba adds in her video Tiktok that the arrival of a child, or “When we have financial responsibilities or specific needs”are also timely moments to write your will. Maître Qarrar Somji also specifies that “Legally, you can write a will from 18 years old. So, if you are old enough to have responsibilities, you should consider writing a will “, he advises.
In addition, you should know that in France, it is possible to modify your will at any time with a notary. As long as the person is able to do so, he can either write a new one, or add a modification that specifies or replaces certain wishes. It is also possible to cancel it “until death”, can be read on the website of the Ministry of the Economy. In the end, nothing is frozen as long as you are alive.
