CASE STUDY: IRENE AND JOHN MCAUSLANE, GLASGOW

As they have been married for more than 40 years, John and Irene McAuslane assumed that if something happened to one of them, the other would inherit. However, the couple from Springburn in Glasgow were shocked to discover that this would not happen unless they had a Will in place. Now the McAuslanes, who celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary last year, have taken steps to ensure their future is secured. Irene, who is 66 and hopes to retire next year, said: “I didn’t have a Will until recently. “I assumed that if anything happened to me, it would go to my husband John, and if anything happened to him it would go to me, but I discovered it doesn’t automatically go to a spouse. “That put me on the back of my heels.” When the McAuslanes sought legal advice from ILAWS Scotland they also found out that, should either of them be taken into a care home, they could be forced by the local authority to sell their home to cover costs.

Irene added: “We have worked hard all our years. To think that if anything happened to either of us would mean we could lose our home was shocking. A lot of people don’t realise that this could happen.”

With less than a year until their retirement, the couple have protected their home by putting it in a trust, after taking advice from ILAWS Scotland.

They now have peace of mind that their estate and their finances are also secure, so do not worry about the “what ifs”.

Irene explained: “Now if anything happens to us, everything goes to our son, and if anything happens to him, it all goes to our grandson. My sister, who has three daughters, made a Will but it was something I thought I would get round to doing, and the years just passed by. “Then I spotted an advert in the paper about simple Wills for £40 and so I gave ILAWS Scotland a call – it was the price that first attracted us. “Now we have a Will, we know everything will be sorted. Everything that I want to happen now will happen but before I just assumed what I wanted to happen would happen. “It really made me open my eyes. I would urge those who don’t have a Will to definitely get one sorted so that your property and money will go to whoever you want it to go to – don’t just assume like we did.”

Having a Will gives us peace of mind. We know everything will be sorted