The Croydon Wills and Probate Team are experts in this field and will work to provide you with a legal service that is efficient and friendly
We know that planning your life and estate is important to you and your family. That is why we provide you with detailed information about all of your options, as well as the likely consequences of each choice.
We always aim to work with our clients in a way that is easy and stress-free. We will communicate your options and outcomes in a way that is easy to understand.
Experts in working with private clients
The solicitors in our Wills & Probate department have a lot of experience dealing with vulnerable clients and their families. They are Dementia Friends, so you can be sure that our clients are dealt with kindness and care.
The Croydon Wills & Probate team can assist you
Our Croydon 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 Wills and Probate team
Probate
Dealing with someone’s estate can be very complicated. There are time limits you have to follow, tax allowances you might lose if you don’t claim them, assets to be protected and legal responsibilities to HMRC, amongst other things.
We can use our knowledge and experience to help guide you through this maze process.
Writing Wills
Making sure your affairs are in order with a correctly drafted Will can help take some of the stress away from your loved ones after you die. It is already a difficult time, and giving them something to make it a little bit easier is a great help.
A well-drafted Will can:
- avoid tax allowances being reduced or lost;
- make use of any charitable exemptions, whilst at the same time potentially reducing the rate of inheritance tax paid;
- ring-fence assets for children; and
- be used to protect vulnerable family members.
GET IN TOUCH
To contact us about any of our legal services including Family Law or Wills and Probate,
just complete this form so we can get back to you.
Lasting Powers of Attorney
If you can’t manage your own financial affairs and personal welfare, you can choose someone to do this for you through Lasting Power of Attorney.
Talk to us about the benefits of having a Power of Attorney and why it’s important.
Deeds of Variation
The use of a Deed of Variation to redirect assets you receive from an estate can help you save money on taxes like Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Stamp Duty Land Tax and family intergeneration Tax.
If you want to change the way your property is divided, you will need to use a Deed of Variation. This document must follow certain rules, so it is important to get expert advice before proceeding.
Court of Protection
If you do not have a Power of Attorney in place, losing mental capacity can cause a lot of challenges.
Issues like
- appointing someone to manage your finances,
- how they obtain legal authority to do so,
- what is and isn’t allowed in terms of giving gifts, investments,
- day to day administration,
all come up.
Our Private Client lawyers have a lot of experience helping you with your legal and administrative duties. They have also been Court-appointed Deputies.
Trust Deeds
If you and your partner separate, a carefully-drafted Trust Deed can be used to agree on who will get what back from the sale of your home.
A trust can also help protect your family from third parties and taxes.
Trust administration
Trustees have many responsibilities. We can help you with the correct administration of your Trust. This includes making sure that everything is done correctly and on time.
GET IN TOUCH
To contact us about any of our legal services including Family Law or Wills and Probate,
just complete this form so we can get back to you.
Who runs the Croydon Wills & Probate team?
Our Legal Executive Jensen Bourke, who is also a Dementia Friend Champion, heads the team at Croydon.
Our Croydon 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.
Other branches offering Wills and Probate services
Find out more about our Wills and Probate solicitors in Braintree, Brighton, Chelmsford, Hornchurch, Solihull and Wickford.
Cunningtons Solicitors in Croydon
102-104 High St
Croydon
CR0 1ND
United Kingdom
Tel: 0208 688 8446
Fax: 0208 686 2147
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Will?
A Will is a legal document which sets out what you would like to happen to your assets in the event of your death, who you would like to administer your estate, who you would like to look after your children and your funeral wishes.
Do I need a Will?
If you are over the age of 18, have assets or children, a Will is the only way to ensure that your wishes will be carried out in the event of your death.
We are a couple, can we have a joint Will?
Joint Wills are very rare and problematic these days. It is more usual to have Mirror Wills which is where you each have a Will but on similar terms. It is important to bear in mind that with Mirror Wills once you have left your estate to your partner, your partner is then free to do whatever he or she wishes with your assets, they could leave what they have inherited from you to a new partner. For more information please see our Asset Protection Trust factsheet.
What is an Executor?
An Executor is a person who will administer your estate in accordance with the terms of your Will, they will complete relevant tax returns and apply for the Grant of Probate before collecting the assets and distributing them to your beneficiaries.
An Executor can be anyone over the age of 18, it is important that you appoint not only someone that you trust but someone who is capable of handling the administration of your estate in what is likely to be an emotional and stressful time.
Before appointing an Executor you may wish to discuss the matter with the person or persons involved to ensure they are willing to be named as Executor in your Will, although this is not essential and as the Will is personal to you, you might not wish to disclose details to an Executor.
If you appoint someone other than your Solicitor and they refuse to carry out the duties after your death then problems could arise.
Can I have Cunningtons as my Executors?
Yes, we can act as Executors for you. Professional Executors will charge for acting.
What is a Guardian?
A Guardian is a person or people who will look after your children in the event of your death, they will be responsible for bringing up your children.
How often should I review my Will?
A Will should be reviewed whenever your personal or financial circumstances change significantly or if your beneficiaries’ circumstances change significantly.
We recommend that you review your Will at least every five years to ensure it still accords with your wishes and is still appropriate for your circumstances.
How long would it take to write my Will?
Upon receipt of your instructions, we aim to send you a draft of your Will for your approval within 7 days. If there are no unforeseen circumstances it is likely that your Will will be signed within a month of us receiving instructions from you.
Can I draft a Will myself or download it from the internet?
We would strongly advise against drafting your own Will or downloading a pro-forma online.
There is an increasing amount of litigation that arises from incorrectly drafted Wills, often Wills drafted by people who are not legally qualified do not do what the person drafting them thinks they do which can cause significant problems and delays in the event of your death.
Often, it ends up costing far more to rectify any errors than the cost of a Will professionally drafted.