How to Prepare for a Will Appointment with a Scottish Solicitor
A practical checklist for organising family, asset and appointment information before discussing a will with a Scottish solicitor.
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A useful way to prepare
Before meeting a Scottish solicitor about a will, gather a clear picture of your family, the people you may want to appoint or benefit, and the assets and obligations that could affect your wishes. You do not need perfect figures, final decisions or legal wording before the first appointment.
A well-organised outline gives the solicitor a practical starting point. They can then identify missing information, explain Scottish legal rights and other relevant rules, and ask questions about your individual circumstances. Preparation may make the conversation easier to follow, but it cannot guarantee a shorter appointment, lower fee or particular legal outcome.
WillWise helps you organise this information without attempting to draft your will. The final legal document and advice should come from an appropriately qualified Scottish solicitor.
Personal and family information
Start with the facts that identify you and describe your family circumstances:
your full legal name, address, date of birth and any previous names;
your marital or civil-partnership status and relevant dates;
details of a current spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner;
children, adopted children and children who died before you;
stepchildren, foster children and anyone treated as part of your family;
grandchildren or other descendants where relevant;
anyone financially or practically dependent on you;
close relatives who might expect to be considered; and
connections with another country, including residence, citizenship or overseas assets.
Describe relationships accurately rather than trying to decide their legal effect. Cohabitants, stepchildren and other dependants may not have the same succession position as spouses, civil partners or legally recognised children. Scottish legal rights may also affect what can ultimately pass under a will. These are questions for the solicitor, not assumptions to resolve in your notes.
If there is a relationship you do not want discussed in front of another attendee, arrange a confidential way to tell the solicitor. The solicitor may need to speak with you alone to confirm your instructions, capacity and freedom from pressure.
Executors, beneficiaries and specific gifts
Executors
An executor administers the estate after death. Think about one or more people you trust to take on practical responsibility, plus a substitute if your first choice cannot act. Record each person's full name, relationship to you and contact details. Ask whether they would be willing to act before the appointment where appropriate.
Consider reliability, availability, family dynamics and whether the estate includes property, a business or overseas assets. Do not assume the eldest child or closest relative must be appointed. A professional executor may be discussed, including the likely charging arrangements. Read before deciding what questions to ask.
List the people and organisations you may want to benefit. Include full names, relationship, location and enough information to distinguish people with similar names. For a charity, record its official name and registered charity number if known.
Think about replacement beneficiaries: what should happen if someone dies before you or cannot receive a gift? Mention beneficiaries who are under 16, vulnerable, unable to manage money or receiving means-tested support. A trust might be discussed, but do not attempt to design one yourself.
Specific gifts
Note particular sums, possessions, property interests or charitable gifts you are considering. Identify an item clearly and say what outcome matters to you. Consider what should happen if the item is sold, replaced or jointly owned before death.
Also think about the residue—what remains after debts, expenses and specific gifts. A list of valued possessions alone is not a complete distribution plan.
Children, guardians and dependency concerns
If you have a child under 16, record anyone you are considering as guardian and a substitute. Discuss the idea with them where practical. Note factors the solicitor may need to understand, such as the child's relationship with the proposed guardian, additional support needs, location and any existing parental-rights or court arrangements.
Guardianship and financial provision are related but separate. Record how you hope funds would be managed for a child and the age or circumstances in which you imagine them receiving control, without attempting legal clauses. Read Guardians and Children for the general Scottish context.
Tell the solicitor about any person who depends on you financially, for care, housing or business support. This includes adult children, an elderly relative, a former partner or someone with a disability. Mention family disagreement, estrangement, vulnerability, concerns about pressure, or a wish to leave less to a spouse, civil partner or child. These circumstances can make tailored advice particularly important.
Property, savings, pensions and business interests
You need an informative overview, not a final estate valuation. Use sensible estimates and mark them clearly as approximate.
Property
List your home, other land and property in Scotland or elsewhere. Record the address, estimated value, mortgage balance, owners and approximate ownership shares. Bring or locate title information if available. A survivorship destination or other title provision can affect what happens independently of the will, so do not rely only on whose name appears on a mortgage statement.
Bank accounts and investments
List banks, building societies, savings accounts, ISAs, investments, shares, bonds and relevant platforms. Approximate balances are usually enough to open the discussion. Note whether each holding is sole or joint. Do not include full account credentials in an email or general preparation document.
Pensions and life assurance
Record each provider, scheme or policy, an approximate value where available, and whether you have completed an expression of wish or nomination. Pension and insurance benefits do not all pass under a will in the same way. Scheme rules, policy ownership, nominations and trustee discretion may matter, so the solicitor needs to know that the arrangement exists even if you do not yet have every document.
Business interests
Note whether you are a sole trader, partner, director or shareholder. Record the business name, structure, ownership share and an approximate value. Locate partnership agreements, articles, shareholder agreements, option arrangements and relevant insurance. Tell the solicitor about other owners and anyone who depends on the business continuing.
The legal asset you own may not be the same as the trading business people recognise by name. Business, tax and financial advice may need to be coordinated.
Debts, liabilities and digital assets
List mortgages, secured loans, personal loans, credit cards, guarantees, business liabilities and significant tax obligations. Note the lender, approximate balance, whether the debt is joint and whether insurance may cover it. Debts and administration expenses affect what is available for beneficiaries.
Include money owed to you, disputed liabilities and substantial lifetime gifts. Do not decide for yourself whether they are legally or tax-relevant; flag them for discussion.
For digital assets, prepare a safe inventory of important services and property:
email and cloud-storage providers;
social-media and content accounts;
domains, websites and online businesses;
digital photographs or creative work;
cryptoassets and the existence—not the contents—of secure access arrangements;
online payment or investment services; and
subscriptions that someone may need to cancel.
Do not put passwords, PINs, seed phrases, recovery codes or private keys in the will-preparation notes. Record where secure access instructions are held and who should know how to find them. Digital Assets and Your Estate: A Scottish Preparation Guide explains this boundary in more detail.
Funeral wishes and previous wills
Write down broad funeral or commemoration wishes you would like to discuss. Detailed wishes may be more suitable for a separate letter because arrangements can change and a will may not be read before decisions are needed. Ask the solicitor what should go in the will and what should be recorded elsewhere.
Bring every previous will and codicil you can locate, along with the name of any solicitor storing an original. Do not write on, staple, mark or destroy an existing will. Tell the solicitor about trusts, separation agreements, pre- or post-nuptial agreements, powers of attorney, court orders and documents from another country.
Marriage or civil partnership does not automatically revoke an existing Scottish will. Divorce or dissolution can affect provisions involving a former spouse or civil partner. Let the solicitor review the documents and current circumstances rather than making changes yourself. See Do You Need to Update Your Will After Marriage in Scotland? and When to Review or Update a Will.
Documents that may be helpful
Ask the solicitor what they want before sending a large bundle. Depending on your circumstances, useful documents may include:
photographic identification and proof of address requested for client checks;
an existing will, codicil or trust document;
property title information and a recent mortgage statement;
pension, insurance and death-benefit summaries;
business constitutional or ownership documents;
a family tree for a large or blended family;
relevant marriage, civil-partnership, divorce or adoption information;
agreements or court orders affecting relationships, property or dependants; and
your organised asset-and-liability overview.
Keep originals safe unless the solicitor specifically requests them. Use the firm's approved secure portal, encrypted channel or stated delivery method for sensitive material.
What not to send insecurely
Never send passwords, PINs, payment-card details, online-banking credentials, seed phrases, private keys, one-time codes or answers to security questions. Avoid sending complete bank statements, identity documents, medical details or children's sensitive information through ordinary email unless the solicitor has expressly confirmed an appropriate secure method.
WillWise itself should not be used as a password manager. Record references and locations, not credentials.
Printable appointment checklist
Use this as a working sheet. “Not yet known” is a valid first answer.
People
[ ] Personal details and relationship status
[ ] Children, descendants and other dependants
[ ] Proposed executor and substitute
[ ] Proposed guardian and substitute, if relevant
[ ] Beneficiaries and replacement beneficiaries
[ ] Relationship, vulnerability or disagreement concerns
Estate overview
[ ] Property, ownership and mortgage estimates
[ ] Bank, savings and investment providers
[ ] Pensions, life assurance and nominations
[ ] Business interests and governing agreements
[ ] Valuable possessions and specific gifts
[ ] Debts, guarantees and other liabilities
[ ] Overseas assets or legal connections
[ ] Digital assets without credentials
Existing plans
[ ] Previous wills and codicils
[ ] Trusts, agreements and court orders
[ ] Funeral or commemoration wishes
[ ] Charitable gifts
[ ] Questions and undecided points
[ ] Secure method agreed for sending documents
Questions to ask on appointment day
Consider asking:
How do Scottish legal rights affect what I would like to do?
Does the ownership of my home or any survivorship provision affect the will?
Which assets may pass under nominations, trusts or scheme rules instead?
Are my proposed executors and substitutes suitable for this estate?
How should provision for a child, vulnerable beneficiary or dependant be structured?
Should any funeral or personal wishes sit in a separate letter?
Do my business or overseas interests require another specialist?
What identity checks, documents and further valuations are needed?
What will the work include, what might cost extra, and how will fees be explained?
Where will the signed original be stored, and what should my executors know?
How will signing be arranged and witnessed correctly?
When should I review the finished will?
Ask the solicitor to explain unfamiliar language. Do not leave the appointment pretending a choice is final if you need time to discuss it or reflect.
Common preparation mistakes
Waiting for perfect information
Reasonable estimates and an honest “unknown” can still support an initial discussion. Waiting for every statement may delay more important advice. Clearly distinguish estimates from confirmed figures and agree what must be verified later.
Treating account ownership as obvious
Joint accounts, property titles, policies and business arrangements need document-level checking. Record what you know without predicting the legal outcome.
Naming people without alternatives
Consider substitute executors, guardians and beneficiaries in case a first choice cannot act or dies before you.
Drafting legal clauses before explaining the goal
Tell the solicitor the outcome you want and the concerns behind it. Technical wording copied from another will or website may not suit Scottish law or your family.
Hiding difficult circumstances
Estrangement, previous relationships, dependency, capacity concerns and likely disputes are precisely the facts the solicitor may need. Ask for a private conversation if necessary.
Sharing too much sensitive data
An asset inventory does not need passwords or complete account numbers. Use secure channels and data minimisation.
Turn your notes into a useful starting point
You can arrive well prepared without having every answer. WillWise guides you through family, executors, beneficiaries, guardians, assets, liabilities and wishes, then organises your answers into a preparation report for discussion with a Scottish solicitor.
Start your WillWise preparation when you are ready. It is a structured way to gather information—not a legal will, legal advice or a substitute for the solicitor's assessment.
This guide provides general legal information for Scotland. WillWise is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice and does not create a legally valid will. Seek advice from a Scottish solicitor about your individual circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need exact asset values before a will appointment?
Usually not for an initial discussion. Clearly labelled estimates can help the solicitor understand the broad estate, although exact values or documents may be required before particular advice or drafting is completed.
Should I decide every beneficiary before the appointment?
No. Record your current ideas, undecided points and the outcomes you want to achieve. The solicitor can explain legal considerations before you confirm instructions.
Should I bring my previous will?
Yes, bring every will and codicil you can locate, or details of the firm storing the original. Do not mark, alter, staple or destroy an existing document yourself.
Can my partner or relative attend the appointment?
Ask the solicitor in advance. They may permit another person to attend part of the meeting but will often need to speak with you privately to confirm that the instructions are yours and are given freely.
Should I include passwords in my preparation?
No. Do not include passwords, PINs, recovery codes, seed phrases or private keys. Record the provider and the secure location of access arrangements instead.
Will preparation definitely make the appointment shorter or cheaper?
No guarantee can be made. Organised information can give the discussion a clearer starting point, but appointment time and fees depend on the solicitor, the work required and your circumstances.
What if I discover more information afterwards?
Tell the solicitor promptly. It is normal for documents, values or decisions to develop after an initial meeting, and the solicitor can explain what must be confirmed before the will is finalised.
Sources
Authoritative references used to support and review this guide.
