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If you do not draw up a proper Will, you risk depriving your spouse or partner of their home, increasing the inheritance tax (IHT) burden and leaving parts of your estate in the wrong hands.

Look no further than famous stars such as Barry White, Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix whose families squabbled for years because they all died intestate.

Failing to make provision for a partner will almost certainly lead to unnecessary legal costs in trying to rearrange an estate after death. There are many eventualities that are not covered under intestate law. For example, if you die without making a Will the rules of intestacy award none of the estate to stepchildren and live-in partners, regardless of the longevity of the relationship.

Unless you have a joint mortgage, the house that you share with your live-in partner, even if they have lived there for 20 years or more, could potentially be passed onto your children, parents, siblings or the state, leaving your partner homeless.

Leaving no will can also mean extensive legal costs for your beneficiaries; failing to provide for a partner or dependent will mean they will have to hire legal help to contest the state's decisions, with no guaranteed result. Complex cases can require the hire of a genealogy expert, at great cost, to clarify relatives' rights to your estate.

Aside from the legal implications, there may be personal wishes that cannot be fulfilled without a Will. You may not want your children to inherit at 18 – the set inheritance age in intestate law – considering it too young, or you may not want parents or siblings to benefit at the detriment to your spouse.

If you draw up a Will, you can specify how long funds must be held in trust for children, to any age you deem appropriate. You may also exclude family members who you don't want to benefit from your estate in a Will. Stepchildren or live-in partners can only inherit part of the deceased's estate if specified in a Will, as is the case for friends or charities. You may also want to outline personal wishes, such as funeral arrangements or who should inherit particular property or items of worth.

Drawing up a Will also prevents assets being claimed by the state at the cost of loved ones. Once you've bought your first property you should draw one up, regardless of your age. And even if you have made a Will, you need to ensure it is updated. Family make-up can change after the birth of a child or the breakdown of a marriage, but if a will is not updated to include or remove beneficiaries, they will have little or no claim to the estate should you die. The late Heath Ledger's daughter Matilda was left out of a Will completed before her birth.

Neither, in the event that both you and your spouse dies, will you have any say in who becomes your children's guardian. If your child or children are under the age of 18 it is essential you have a Will for this reason. This also applies to a family member or dependant with special needs.

Nearly half of all marriages end in divorce, meaning that not updating your Will can have devastating effects for your spouse and any new children or stepchildren. It is also vitally important that family members know where your Will is kept and that a duplicate is stored with a solicitor or financial adviser. Many people's estates are administered as if they are intestate, even if they have a Will, simply because no one knows where the will is kept.

Call us today for our Will writing services or speak to your Wealth Manager.