Wills and Probate
Wills
People make Wills for many reasons, some of them personal (for example, specific funeral requirements, or the gift of a precious object) others purely financial. Whatever the reason, a badly drafted Will can lead to essential clauses of the Will failing (having no legal standing). This can be greatly distressing for all those involved, as not only does it defeat the intention of the person making the Will, it can also lead to disputes over the division of the estate after death. Unfortunately such disputes are not uncommon, and can quickly eat away at the assets in an estate. It is therefore essential that Wills are expertly drafted.
We offer a competitively priced but reliable Will writing service specifically tailored to the client's individual circumstances and requirements. We can also advise on basic tax planning and setting up Trusts. We frequently deal with home and hospital visits for those who are unable attend our offices.
Probate
Our long established Probate Department understand how upsetting it is when a loved one passes away. This distress can be exacerbated by the onerous responsibilities of being an executor or administrator of an estate. It is our aim to assist you through this difficult time by making the burden of administering an estate bearable.
We offer professional but sensitive guidance to minimise the stress of dealing with probate issues. Our service can begin very shortly after the death, to include funeral arrangements, etc, but more usually involves notifying the banks and other relevant parties, calculating the IHT, applying for and obtaining the Grant of Probate, preparation of estate accounts and distributing the estate.
LPA and Deputy applications
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 introduced the new forms Lasting Powers of Attorney; we can advise and prepare applications. We also deal with Deputy applications to the Court of Protection.