{UAH} INFO ABOUT WILLS IN UGANDA

Most often we work so hard and tirelessly in order to have a good life and good future for our children and the loved ones, God forbid that some thing happens to you and you are no more, that's when friends relatives start war over your hard earned wealth not putting in Their minds that you have dependents and orphans left behind. this is when a will comes in effect.

A will or testament is a legal document by which a person, the testator, expresses their wishes as to how their property is to be distributed at death, and names one or more persons, the executor, to manage the estate until its final distribution

Elements of a will

When you make a will, it's important to understand the different elements that make up a will, such as the testator, the executors, legacies and bequests, the beneficiaries, residuary estate, foreign assets, children and guardians.

What is a testator?

A testator (or testatrix) is someone who has made a valid will or has died leaving a valid will. The will is a document which records how the deceased wants to dispose of their property and estate. A person who dies without having made a valid will is said to have died intestate.

What is an executor?

An executor (or executrix) is someone who carries out the administrative duties and tasks in making sure the testator's wishes are followed according to the will. This person sorts out the property when the testator dies, pays any inheritance tax due and applies for probate. You can have up to four executors in your will and they can also be beneficiaries to the will (ie they can also inherit something from the will).

It's important to appoint someone you trust as an executor as it'll be up to them to follow the instructions according to the will. When you've confirmed who your executor is going to be, it's important you record their full name and address in your will. The executor will need to be located and contacted when they are needed to fulfil their duties.

What happens when an executor dies before the testator?

Where an executor who is named in a will dies before the will is activated and before probate has been issued by the Court, provided there are other named executors in the will, then it will be their responsibility to deal with the estate. If you have more than one executor named on your will then the others would take over the deceased executor's responsibilities.

If all of the named executors have died before the deceased, then the beneficiary or beneficiaries who are receiving the largest sum of the estate in the will will have the right to deal with the estate. A maximum of four executors can act to administer an estate.

If only one executor is appointed, and they are not also a beneficiary of your will, then the situation is different. If the sole executor dies after probate has been issued by the court and before they have completed their administration of the estate, then you must find out whether they themselves had a will. If they did leave a will then it is up to the executor of their own affairs to finalise your estate (as they were your sole executor). This is called the Chain of Representation. The executor of their estate will also become the executor of your will.

If a sole executor dies and does not leave a will, then their beneficiaries who are receiving the largest sum will act as their executors. This means they will also take over the administrative duties of your estate.

Can you appoint joint executors?
Having more than one executor (ie two executors/joint executors) is possible, however you would need to ensure that they both have your best interests and will follow your wishes according to the will. Conflict can arise between joint Executors for a variety of reasons:
• critical differences in opinion about how to administer the estate most effectively

• action taken by one Executor without having first sought agreement of the other

What is a beneficiary?
Beneficiaries in a will are the named individuals or charities who will inherit the deceased's assets or estate. The will identifies and defines who the intended beneficiaries are and the inheritance they will receive.
A beneficiary is entitled to know that they have been named in a will as a beneficiary, along with the full inheritance they have been designated. However the beneficiary is only entitled to receive, appraise or view their inheritance after the executor has successfully applied for probate and ownership of the assets has transferred to the beneficiary.
What are legacies and bequests?

Legacies and bequests are the types of gifts or assets you want to leave to any individuals or charities. There are several types of legacies that a testator can leave behind.

Specific gifts

A specific gift is where a specific or particular named item is left as a gift in the will eg a piece of jewellery, books, paintings or antiques. A specific gift will need to be accurately described in the will so that the executor and beneficiaries will know which exact item the testator wanted to leave to their beneficiary. A specific gift won't be valid if the item in question doesn't exist as part of the deceased's estate at their time of death. In this case the specific gift is said to be 'adeemed' which means that the beneficiary will not receive any gift.

Pecuniary gift
A pecuniary gift is a gift of money. If a pecuniary gift is directed to be paid to the beneficiary in instalments, then this is called an 'annuity'.
Residuary gift
A residuary gift is when a person leaves a percentage of their estate after all the other gifts have been made by the executor and any debts and inheritance tax has been paid. The beneficiaries who will receive the residue of the testator's estate are called the 'residual beneficiaries'.
Contingent gifts

These gifts are gifts in the will made by the testator to the beneficiaries dependent upon the occurrence of an event. An example of a contingent gift is a gift to a charity which applies only if the other beneficiaries named in the will die before the testator.

What is the remainder of an estate?

Once the executor has administered the estate, gifts and paid any administrative costs, such as debts, probate and inheritance tax, any assets leftover will form the residuary (the remainder) of your estate. This is all the leftover cash, assets and property that weren't distributed according to the will. This can happen if the testator forgot to mention something in their will or intended for any 'residual beneficiaries' to inherit what was leftover.

What are foreign assets?

Foreign assets are assets which are located outside of the country in which the testator lived or created their will. Those with foreign assets are often advised to make a will dependent on where the assets are located.

Children and guardians

Children under the age of 18 cannot inherit under a will. If a testator wants to leave a gift to a child, it will be held in a trust for them until they turn 18. The definition of 'child' in a will is broad and can include step-children. Therefore, in situations where children are involved, it is best to specifically name of all children (step and biological) within the will. ��It might also be appropriate to name guardians in your will to look after any children under 18 if both parents die. Without nominated guardians, the courts will decide who will look after any children.

What is a trust?
A trust is a legal arrangement which allows for assets, such as property, to be looked after on behalf of a beneficiary. The person who looks after the assets is called the 'trustee'. The person who creates the trust is called the 'settlor'. If the settlor creates a trust during their lifetime then it's usually evidenced in a trust deed. However if the settlor wants it to be created shortly after their death then this is inserted as a provision in their will. This is known as a 'wills trust'.

Whether a trust is created during the settlor's lifetime or after their death, the trust document will state who is responsible for managing the trust for however long the trust lasts. Trustees owe a legal duty to the trust's beneficiaries and therefore must act in the best interests of the beneficiaries. Choosing your trustee must be a careful choice, taking into consideration their trustworthiness, financial responsibility and whether they have the administrative skills to manage the trust properly.

When is a trust used?
A trust is used as a way of protecting assets and controlling how they are used after they've been given away. When a settlor makes an outright gift, either during their lifetime or after their death, the beneficiary assumes all rights and control over the assets. The creation of a trust enables the settlor to attach conditions to the assets. For example, the settlor may require that the assets can't be given away during their lifetime.
Trusts are also used if an asset is being given to someone under 18 or a 'vulnerable person'. Examples of a 'vulnerable person' can include:
• a disabled person
• a person who lacks mental capacity

• a person who has a medical condition, such as a gambling or drug addiction

What is a witness?
In order for a will to be valid, it needs to be signed in front of two independent witnesses. There are certain rules to follow as not everyone can be a witness to a will.
It's important that witnesses should be independent. Therefore they should not be people who:
• are family members
• are your spouse/civil partner
• are beneficiaries under the will
• is under 18
• is blind or partially sighted
• lacks mental capacity or sufficient understanding
People usually ask a local solicitor to be a witness.
Overview of the Last will and testament
Put your mind at ease with this straightforward last will and testament that will name executors to make sure everything is properly dealt with and appoint guardians to take care of your children. Making a will can be a difficult process but it will give you peace of mind that everything will be taken care of according to your wishes should the worst happen. This last will and testament covers appointing executors, guardians for your children, legacies and what will happen to the rest of your estate.
When to use:
Use this last will and testament:
• if you are over the age of 18
When to use:
This last will and testament covers:
• leaving what you own to your spouse or civil partner, and then to your children or other beneficiaries in equal shares
• leaving specific gifts (including amounts of money) to your loved ones

• appointing a guardian for your children

What is a will?
A will sets out how someone�s estate - which includes property, savings and other assets - should be distributed after their death. It�s essentially a written set of instructions which specifies the beneficiaries who will inherit the estate of the deceased, and the executors who will ensure that assets are distributed according to the wishes contained in the will.
Why do I need a will?
Without a legally valid will, your estate will be distributed according to the �rules of intestacy� - an old fashioned set of instructions which specify a strict order of beneficiaries; primarily married or civil partners and close relatives. If you lived with a partner for many years but were not married or in a civil partnership, without a will they may not stand to inherit anything if you die intestate (without making a will). So it�s important to make a will to ensure that you have a say in what happens to your estate after your death.
Why do I need the fact that I am getting married to be noted in my will?
In general, any will that you made before getting married to a new partner will be revoked upon marriage and therefore be invalid. However, there is an exception to this rule: if your will states that you are about to get married and confirms that you intend the will to remain valid after marriage, it will not be revoked.
Do I need to specify a guardian in my will if I have children?
If you have any children under the age of 18, you may want to consider appointing testamentary guardians in your will. Guardians take over parental responsibility for your children, which means they need to look after your children as well as take decisions about things like their education or religious upbringing.
Can I leave gifts of money or specific items using a will?

Yes. You will can go into as much or little detail as you choose. You can specify that certain assets are given to individuals (eg. your house is inherited by your daughter and your car by your nephew, or that your savings are divided equally between your children, wife and a charity).

What is the remainder of the estate?

The remainder or residue of your estate refers to what is left of your estate following the distribution of specific gifts and deduction of debts, taxes and other expenses. If you have not made any specific gifts, the residue will make up your entire estate (after debts, taxes and expenses).

Can I include funeral or burial wishes in a will?

You can state funeral arrangements in your will (eg. whether you would like to be buried or cremated) - but it�s important to note that these wishes are not legally binding. It is nevertheless useful to express these wishes in your will - but normally your relatives will decide on funeral arrangements, and executors have the ultimate say.

What is the difference between an executor and a witness?
Your will should name one or more executors (often family members or close friends), who will be tasked with carrying out your instructions and distributing your estate according to the will. An executor can also be a beneficiary.

The signature of wills must be witnessed by at least two people who will not benefit under the will (either directly or via their married or civil partners). A witness can also be an executor, as long as they (or their wife or civil partner) are not named as a beneficiary.

Is it necessary to use a solicitor to make a legally binding will?

You do not need a lawyer to prepare a legally binding will. As long as you are of sound mind and not being unduly influenced when you make your will, state how you wish your estate to be distributed upon your death, name the beneficiaries and executors, and sign your will in the presence of witnesses, it should normally be legally valid. However, if you have a more complex estate, it will often be advisable to ask a lawyer to check things over.

How do I change a will?
In order to make a minor change to a will (such as changing the name of an executor), you can use a document called a codicil, which needs to be witnessed in the same way as when making will. If you are making more substantial changes, you should consider make a brand new will, which states that your previous wills are revoked.
Further advice
Ask a lawyer if:
• you own any foreign property as it may be subject to the inheritance laws of that other country
• you want to leave your estate to named beneficiaries in unequal shares
You may want to Ask a Lawyer for advice on inheritance tax If you have:
• business interests, including shares in a private company or if you are in a business partnership

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