Wills

Making your Will is important. You know it is important – that’s probably why you are reading this page. How long have you been putting it off? The best thing you can do right now is call us, book a time to see your local consultant and let us help you. If you want more information first, then feel free to keep reading – there is plenty of information on this website, but none of it will be as useful as sitting down with a consultant over a cup of tea and letting them help you to...

Trusts

In simple terms, trusts are agreements between people about the protection and use of property. When used as a part of your Estate Planning, trusts can either be formed whilst you are alive, or you can use your Will to create a trust when you die.

The most important point to a trust is its purpose. What are you trying to achieve? The answer to that question will determine whether a trust is the right solution to the reach your goal. For example, if you want to leave money to young children, then the money will...

Lasting Power of Attorney - LPA

What happens if you lose mental capacity? Not from your point of view – depending on why you have lost capacity, you may or may not be able to recognise that there is a problem. But from the point of view of your family. Who would look after you? Who would deal with your bills, bank account and property? Who would deal with your medical care and make decisions about the way you live your life?

Now ask yourself this – would they have the power to do that? Have you...

Secure Document Storage

Having taken the time and trouble to put your Estate Planning in place, you need to give some thought to where the ORIGINAL documents are going to be kept.

The documents in question are made of paper. That’s obvious, but very relevant to the fact that paper is easily damaged. Water damage, fire damage or even the grandchildren using your Will as a colouring book are not uncommon! What’s more, a Will that looks like it may have been tampered with or had something removed can stop or delay its acceptance at the Probate...

Probate

This is a much-misunderstood subject. Have you ever heard the term "Tied up at probate"?

When a person dies, someone has to deal with what they own. Such a person is called a personal representative. If they are appointed by means of a valid Will or Codicil, they are known as executors. When they are not appointed this way, as in the case of someone who dies intestate, the personal representatives are known as administrators.

In either case they will normally have to obtain official documentation from the High Court (Probate Registry) to confirm they...

Funeral Plans

Thinking about your funeral is a pretty morbid thing to do. It's not the way most people would plan to spend their evening! However, it is often a subject that often sits at the back of your mind. Rather than having it periodically pester your thoughts, why not get your funeral planned, paid for and out of the way so that you can put your attention on the things that are more important to you?

Not only can you save your family a lot of money, you can take away a great deal of the...

Business Succession

Do you own a business? If not, then you probably don't need to read this part of the website, but if you do then you definitely need to keep going. You have additional responsibilities that non-business-owners do not have. Responsibilities to your clients, your staff and your family for them to maximise the value of your business on death. Furthermore, if you were to lose mental capacity, and yet still remain alive, then the business could face even more complications.

Let’s just be clear about one thing – there is no such thing as a “Business...

Inheritance Tax Planning

"If it works for Joe, it'll probably work for me." More than half of the people who come to The Willwriting Partnership contact 
us after a personal recommendation from a neighbour, friend or family member. We don't write wills for horses, but if we did, 
this is what the horse's mouth would sound like:
- Gifts made to one’s spouse or civil partner during their lifetime
- Gifts made to charities. (Foreign registered charities normally don’t qualify)
- Gifts made to political parties.
- Dispositions for the national interest...

Service Charges

This is the key question, isn't it? How much will all this wonderful estate planning cost? In short, it will probably cost you less than you think it will. And it will definitely cost you less than the value that it gives you and your family.

You will notice that the prices indicated below are listed as "From £x". The reason for this is that the service you receive is always tailored to you, it is always a fixed price, and the price is always provided to you before you agree to proceed. Nobody likes surprises!...