Recent research reveals that one in four families have fallen out over the contents of a will and, of those, an astonishing 42% of siblings never speak to each other again.

Many rows over inheritance arise because there's no will in place at all. Nearly two thirds of people haven't drawn one up and yet the consequences of not making a will can be far-reaching because the legal pecking order may differ from the expectations of spouses and siblings.

According to the research, when it comes to the division of an estate, 35% of all rows are over the cold hard cash. Around 1 in 5 think the estate was divided unfairly, 12% felt they deserved more cash, while 5% claimed that they were verbally promised an item that wasn't then left to them.

A will isn't just about the estate. It can prevent arguments over who'll look after children right down to the dishing out of items that may be worth little money but which could cause unnecessary upset if fought over by those left behind.

The solution is to make a will in the first place and to be open about the contents so, if necessary, there can be a discussion about it. And if you're going to do something to make a point such as cutting someone out of your will, then leave an explanation so there can be no doubt about your reasons.