Family Witness

Can a family member witness your Will? There are a number of reasons why this is not the best idea. Firstly, if the family member is going to benefit from your Will then the act of being a witness removes their right to benefit from the Will. So, while it may be convenient to have them as a witness because they live with you it would result in disappointment at a later date. The second reason which is less clear but equally important is that using a family member may diminish the legitimacy of the Will. This could open the door to other family members contesting the Will as they may feel they had been disadvantaged. Best plan is always to get a completely independent person to witness your Will.