We understand that you feel strongly about who you want to benefit after your death – to make sure all the things you have spent your life working so hard for will go to the people you choose.
The only way to do this is to make a clear and legally binding Will – and that’s where we can help.
We won’t baffle you with legal terminology – we’ll use all our years of experience to listen, talk through your wishes, and then create the Will which makes sure that happens.
There are many different types of Will:
Simple Wills
as their name suggests, these Wills are for people who have uncomplicated affairs with few assets and beneficiaries.If your ‘estate’ – the total of all your assets put together – is large enough to attract inheritance tax, or if you have been married more than once, you will probably need a more complex Will.
Mirror Wills
are designed for couples who have almost identical wishes, usually leaving things to each other, which is why the Wills ‘mirror’ each other. You don’t have to be married or in a civil partnership to make a Mirror Will, and it’s a cost-effective option if it covers your needs. You can still have some difference on personal decisions, such as your funeral arrangements. However, with Mirror Wills, either person can change their Will without the other person knowing, or after the first person has died. This means that you can’t be 100% certain of the other person’s Will remaining the same.
Business Wills
whether you are a sole trader or a partner in a complex business with staff, premises and other assets, a Business Will is the way to ensure that your wishes – perhaps closing, selling or transferring it to another person – will be followed with a minimum of fuss.
Wills with Trusts
there’s a whole range of Trusts which can be set up as part of your Will including Discretionary Trusts, Property Trusts and Interest in Possession Trusts. Generally, they are about benefiting someone in their lifetime, even though an asset has been left to somebody else. An example might be allowing a wife to stay in the family home for the rest of her life, even if the husband has left the house to the children. Trusts can also be helpful for Tax planning. We can talk you through all the options and advise if a Trust Will is right for you.
Living Wills
these types of Will enable you to plan ahead and set out how you want to be treated and cared for in certain situations, in case there comes a time when you are no longer able to make or communicate your decisions. For example, they can cover whether or not you want to be given certain medical treatments or procedures.