At Clarke & Son LLP we are committed to giving our Clients excellent advice and support on all aspects of their estate planning. The Wills & Probate Department offers a full range of free fact sheets for Clients on a variety of subjects.
Wills
If you would like to make a Will then you will get the opportunity of meeting with one of our specialists to discuss the mechanics of making a Will and the information that will be required, the best way forward, not just at the Will planning stage, but in dealing with an estate administration on death. We can advise on Wills with foreign property aspects, business assets and the reasons for making a Will if you are in the process of separating from your partner or getting divorced. There may be some property ownership issues that need urgent attention and that can be discussed at a meeting.
Trusts
We can also advise you on the use of Trusts as part of your estate planning. It could be that you, yourself, are a Trustee for a Family Trust and require advice on the duties you must exercise as a Trustee. It may be that you are considering Trusts for Inheritance Tax planning and care fee planning reasons. Or you may be a beneficiary of a trust and need to know now about your entitlement.
Probate
We can also advise on dealing with an estate on death and extracting the Grant of Probate for you or dealing with Letters of Administration on intestacy (when someone dies without leaving a Will). It may be that you have been appointed as an Executor and want to know more about your responsibilities, potentially trying to mitigate Inheritance Tax liability, and dealing with the wide variety of issues affecting an estate administration.
Powers of Attorney
With the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act in 2007 there have been many changes in this field of law. There are many points to consider on Lasting Powers of Attorney which can cover Property and Affairs and Health and Welfare. It may be the case that you require advice on the more old-fashioned Enduring Power of Attorney either because you have put one in place prior to the Act coming into force or because you have been appointed as an Attorney and wish to register the Power because the Donor of the Power has become mentally incapable. It may be that you want advice for a family member who can no longer look after their own affairs and need to know what you can legally do to help.
Other Issues
The afore-mentioned issues do affect everyone at some time or another in life and we offer a comprehensive service in dealing with these issues. There are also subsidiary issues such as planning for couples who are moving in together, not necessarily as husband and wife, but for elderly parents living with grown up children, etc. More and more people are concerned with residential and nursing home care fee planning as well and it may be that you would wish to speak to one of our specialists concerning this too. Lifetime gifting is also a topic which more people wish to know about and we will be adding a section on this on our website soon.
We are very much guided by the needs of our Clients and many of the subjects for our fact sheets have been as a result of multiple enquiries led by our Clients. We want to help you resolve pressing issues that cause concern in a helpful and sympathetic manner.
For more detailed advice or to arrange an informal chat, please contact: Nia Wharry. Nia is a Member of Solicitors for the Elderly and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
Nia Wharry- Email Nia Wharry
Alternatively, you can call Nia Wharry on 01256 320555.
