RETIREMENT SERIES

The power behind wills

Families arguing and being torn apart, the family pet getting all of the family fortune or a long-lost sibling appearing out of the woodwork!

If you were to trust a Hollywood movie, anyone would think dealing with a will is a recipe for disaster.

But rest assured, it doesn’t have to be, if you’re organised.

When retirement is looming, the experts agree, this is the best time to get your legal affairs in order. We’re not just talking about wills, but also looking into trusts and making sure you have nominated your enduring power of attorney.

Hannah McQueen from EnableMe is on the frontline of helping people face their financial issues and prepare for retirement. And if you’re worrying you’ve left it too late to get yourself organised, never fear, she says. “You can leave your

run late, but it just means you have to get it right, so there’s no room for you to get it wrong. The good thing is if someone knows they are looking down the barrel of retirement, often they are so much more motivated to do something,” she explains.

“People at this point have often spent their lives living for everyone else – they want their kids and grandkids to be okay – and it almost feels self-indulgent to worry about yourself, but that’s actually what you have to do.”

It’s time to remove the taboo around these important issues for the older generation, Hannah believes, to make it easier for people to take stock of their lives and plan what they want for their retirement, and for their families. “You will feel a lot more comforted being in control, with a plan, knowing you have it sorted.”