Wills and Probate Solicitors in Brighton

• Brighton
• Wills & Probate
• Conveyancing

Based in Brighton, Cunningtons’ Wills and Probate team are highly experienced, and aim to give you with an efficient, friendly and approachable legal service

Planning your life and estate is important to both you and your family. That is why we are careful that the advice and information we give you is comprehensive and easy to understand. We are clear about your options and the likely consequences.

We like to work with our clients in a personable and stress-free way and to communicate your options and outcomes clearly.

Private client expertise

Our Wills & Probate solicitors are Dementia Friends and have strong links within the local community. They have years of experience dealing with vulnerable clients and their families, so that you can be sure all concerned are dealt with in a kind and caring way.

The Brighton Wills & Probate team has you covered

Our Brighton and Hove private client department can help you and your family with:

• Probate,
• Wills,
• Lasting Powers of Attorney,
• Deeds of Variation,
• Court of Protection,
• Trust Deeds, and
• Trust Administration

More about the services offered by our Brighton Wills and Probate team

Probate / Estate Administration

Dealing with someone’s estate when they are gone can be complex and stressful, especially as it is such a difficult time anyway. There are time limits to observe, tax allowances to be claimed (or otherwise lost), tax to be reclaimed, assets to be protected, and legal responsibilities to HMRC, the Probate Court and the estate in general.

We can use our professional experience to help guide you through this legal maze in a dispassionate and impartial way.

Writing Wills

Getting your affairs in order with a properly drafted Will can avoid a lot of additional stress when you are gone. It is already a difficult time for those you love, and taking some of the stress away from your friends and family with a valid Will is a great help.

A carefully drafted Will can:

• avoid your tax allowances being reduced or lost;
• make use of any charitable exemptions, whilst potentially reducing the rate of inheritance tax paid;
• set aside assets for children; and
• be used to protect any vulnerable family members.

Our Brighton branch Wills and Probate specialist

Jensen Bourke specialises in Wills, Probate, Tax, Trusts, Court of Protection and Powers of Attorney and aims to deliver legal advice in plain English and in a helpful, approachable and timely manner.

More about Brighton and our branch

Lasting Powers of Attorney

A Lasting Power of Attorney sets out your choices when it comes to who will manage your financial affairs and personal welfare if you are unable to do this for yourself.

Talk to us to learn about why having a Power of Attorney in place is important and what benefits they provide.

Deeds of Variation

The use of a Deed of Variation to redirect assets received from an estate could provide you with a powerful tool when it comes to your planning for issues like Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Stamp Duty Land Tax and family intergeneration Tax.

The Deed of Variation is fully tailored to fit your circumstances, and there are rules to be followed for a Deed of Variation to work, so expert advice is a must. Read more about Deeds of Variation here.

Court of Protection

Losing your mental capacity throws up all sorts of challenges if you have no Power of Attorney in place.

Issues such as

• who will administer your finances,
• how they obtain legal authority to do so,
• what can and cannot be done when it comes to making gifts, managing investments,
• as well as the day-to-day administration of your life,

are thrown up.

Our Private Client lawyers have a wealth of experience in helping you with your legal and administrative duties and have been Court-appointed Deputies.

Trust Deeds

A properly-drafted Trust Deed can be used as an agreement between partners as to who will get what back if your home has to be sold on separation.

Trusts have other uses which may help protect your family from third parties and tax. Ask us for more information.

Trust administration

Trustees have many responsibilities, duties and accountabilities. We can help you with the correct administration of your Trust.

Our Brighton & Hove Wills and Probate team

Our Brighton branch is handy for most of the south of England. It is within easy reach of Gatwick Airport and the towns of Worthing, Eastbourne, Haywards Heath and Chichester.

The team is headed by chartered Legal Executive Jensen Bourke, who is a Dementia Friend who helps promote an understanding of what it is like for people living with dementia. Jensen is also heavily involved in charity work through Mid Sussex Roundtable which collects monies from local people to help local causes and people in Sussex.

You can contact Jensen by email at jensen.bourke@cunningtons.co.uk.