Wills and Probate
Most people make assumptions about what will happen to their property and belongings after their death, which are based on everything but reality. Common assumptions are:
- I don’t need a Will, my partner knows my wishes and can deal with it when I die!
- I don’t own much and after all, Wills are for millionaires!
- There’s only the two of us alive anyway so when I die my partner will get everything!
- I’m divorced so I have nothing to worry about as far as a Will is concerned!
- It’s a depressing subject and I would rather leave it until I get old!
- Making a Will is just another sales pitch from lawyers!
- A Will is a waste of money!
Sadly, nothing could be farther from the truth. If you die without a Will, even if you own nothing, it can have very damaging repercussions on those very people you care for the most. A Will is not a depressing subject, despite the common perceptions, it’s actually a way of saying ‘I care‘!
A Will can determine all of the following and more:
- Whether you will be buried or cremated
- Whether your organs are to be donated and for what
- Who will administer your estate and carry out your wishes
- Who will look after moneys to be invested for children until they are old enough to manage their affairs
- Who will give your children a home and make their life decisions for them
- Who will look after your pets
- Who gets what and when and in what shares
- How your business will be run or divided after your death
- How to avoid unnecessarily leaving your estate to the Taxman
- Preventing the Crown from walking off with almost everything you own, because if you don’t have a Will, often the only inheritor will be the Crown (the Government) and your partner could be left looking for accommodation!
You can save anything from a few hundred pounds to millions, with a carefully drafted Will and, you can lose the lot without one.
In addition to will writing, our expertise also covers contentious probate and trust work. This includes claims relating to the validity of a Will, and claims made against an estate under the Inheritance Act.
Our services include
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- Will writing
- Inheritance tax advice
- Trusts
- Probate
Wills and divorce – the consequences
Few people realise that a divorce has no effect at all on inheritance, but marriage changes everything, even to the extent of nullifying a previous Will. You should ensure that you make a Will immediately after marriage or divorce and keep it updated through your life as things change. This is all the more the case where you may have step-children or are living with a new partner after a broken marriage.
Our Fees
We can help you make your Will and protect your loved ones from a simple flat fee of £100 plus VAT for a straightforward single Will and £180 plus VAT for straightforward mirror Wills for husband & wife or Civil Partners.
Wills Questionnaire
To get started with your Will please download our Wills Questionnaire form, fill in all the relevant sections and return the form to us by email or post:
