You may think that Wills are only for people with a lot of property, shares or money and that you are not in that category. You may believe that your children and relatives will be able to sort everything out easily after you have gone; or you may have made a Will some years ago and have not thought about it since.
However, circumstances change and the last thing you want is for those you leave behind to suffer unnecessary anxiety at a time of great grief or for everything you have worked so hard for to end up outside your family or away from your friends. If you have young children you may want to make sure that you have made proper arrangements for them to be cared for. If you think about the value of your house; if you have an insurance policy which might pay off all or most of your mortgage your estate could be worth more than the minimum levels for inheritance tax!!
We recommend that all clients, whatever their background, however much money they have, make a Will and that they review it at regular intervals to ensure that it continues to meet their requirements. Even a simple Will can remove a lot of worry from those who are dearest to you and it can make sure that you don’t inadvertently leave money to the taxman! Why not make an appointment with one of our Probate and Wills Department staff to talk about your individual circumstances and what is going to be best for you.
Some of the Questions you might like to think about are:-
- Who do I want to be my Executors? - Family? My Solicitor? Friends?
- Do I have any special legacies I want to leave? – e.g. money or jewellery
- Who do I want to leave the residue to and how do I want to split it up? What do I want to happen if my chosen beneficiaries die before me?
- Do I need to think about anyone under 18 – children or grandchildren?
- Do I have to think about inheritance or capital gains tax?
- Do I need to ask about whether or not a Trust would be a good idea?
- Have I thought about whether or not I need to leave special instructions for my funeral?
We can advise you on all of the following – and more!
- Gifts to members of your family
- Issues in Wills such as; guardianship, adoption and divorce - including contact and residence issues relating to children.
- Obtaining grants of probate
- Preparation of lasting powers of attorney
- Preparation of Wills, Trusts and Deeds
- Reviewing and amending Wills
- Winding up and distributing estates
