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Wills and Inheritance Tax-efficient Wills

Wills

Leaving a Will means you can be sure that everything would be dealt with in the way you would wish following your death. It's a great feeling to know that you won't be leaving your loved ones with a mess to sort out.

If you don't make a Will, the Intestacy Rules will govern how your estate is divided up when you die. They determine which of your relatives receives how much and can lead to some nasty surprises. The Intestacy Rules do not provide at all for your friends or even for a partner who you may have lived with for years - they will inherit nothing. Under the Intestacy Rules, your step-children are not counted as your children and will inherit nothing - even if their other parents have already died. It is only by making a Will that you can specify who will get what amount, eg if one of your children needs more money than the other, and when children inherit. Coming into a large amount of money whilst still a teenager may not be the best for them, but under Intestacy Rules they will inherit at eighteen years of age regardless of their financial maturity. You can also appoint Guardians in your Will so that your children will be looked after by someone who cares for them. Without a will, family members may have to go to court to get permission to look after them. While this is sorted out, your children may go into care temporarily. Intestacy Rules don't allow you to leave gifts to charity. But by making a Will you can specify a set amount or a percentage of your estate for charity – it's a great way to say "thank you" for the work they do and helps save inheritance tax.

When you die, someone will need to deal with the practicalities. If you don't make a Will, you have no control over who this will be. It will usually be a family member. If you make a Will, you can choose who you would like to deal with things. You may prefer to appoint a professional, such as a solicitor or accountant - someone who will not be suffering the distress of bereavement.

Making a Will gives you enormous peace of mind. We will tailor-make your Will so that it reflects what you would really like to happen to your assets following your death. We have specialist advisers who can make sure your Will is tax-efficient and can explain the legal jargon in friendly, plain English terms.

Call us now on 01858 445480 or use the Contact Us form to arrange an appointment.

Inheritance Tax-efficient Wills

We offer integrated advice so we can pick up points where you may not have known you had a problem, such as capital gains or inheritance tax issues. We will ensure your Will reflects your individual circumstances and advise and offer solutions on any tax problems that come to light. All Wills are drafted by qualified solicitors, not automatically generated by computer, and we work closely with Independent Financial Advisors and Accountants to provide holistic advice. Combining advice on your Will with lifetime planning, what we save you paying in tax, means more for your family after your death.

Living Wills

Many people have strong feelings about the medical treatment they would or would not want to receive. For example, if you are in a coma, being artificially fed and breathing through a machine, would you like to be kept alive for as long as possible, in case you wake up? Or would you like to be allowed to die with dignity? By making a Living Will, you can set out your choices in advance, making it easier for the doctors and your relatives if they are ever faced with that scenario.

Joint Ownership of Property

There are two ways you can jointly own property with someone else, and the way you own property can have huge knock-on effects for what happens on your death. Do you know how you jointly own your property? If not, contact us, we can find out for you and advise on what this means for you. If you need to change how you own your property, we can easily do this for you.

Call us now on 01858 445480 or use the Contact Us form to arrange an appointment.