Wills, Probate, and Inheritance Issues – Our Wills & Probate Department Have You Covered

None of us particularly enjoy thinking about later life, illness, or what happens after we’re gone. But planning for it properly is one of the kindest things you can do for the people you leave behind. Cunningtons’ Wills and Probate team can look after every aspect of making and administering a Will, including setting up trusts, protecting assets, advance directives, inheritance tax, deputyships and Lasting Powers of Attorney, so you and your family have one trusted group of professionals handling it all, however far along that journey you are.

The legal aspects of moving through your later years are not something any of us like to contemplate, but death is a fact of life for everyone and we all need to deal with it. As expert Wills and Probate solicitors, we can be dispassionate about dealing with the associated admin.

Wills

Making a Will won’t kill you, though more than half of the UK population don’t want to take that risk. It doesn’t take long, and it doesn’t cost much – but if you don’t have one you’ll be increasing the pain your family have to deal with when you go.

And a home-made Will won’t help unless you are leaving everything to your spouse, or if you are single, you are leaving everything to you children in equal shares. It really takes a load off your mind if you instead write a properly valid Will with a professional will-writer.

Trusts

Trusts are a way of ensuring that certain assets stay in the family whatever happens. They keep assets such as property and antiques safe from future divorce or debt.

Administering Wills – Probate

Executing a Will can be a difficult time, especially if you have beneficiaries badgering you. It is a fairly time-consuming task, so if you act early you can pass on the task to us.

Inheritance Tax Planning

There are various allowances, exemptions, reliefs and methods that you can utilise to reduce your liability to Inheritance Tax. We can advise you on these.

Deputyships

Deputyships come into play when someone has lost mental capacity and are dealt with by the Court of Protection.

Advance Directives

Advanced directives, often known as ‘Living Wills’ deal with your wishes in the event of serious illness or disability and outline how you would wish to be treated.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) lets you appoint others to help you make decisions – or make them for you – if you lose the ability to do this yourself.

It is important to understand that without an LPA, your spouse cannot make decisions for you.

Contact your local Wills and Probate solicitors

Whether you’re writing your first Will, setting up your LPA, or need help administering a loved one’s estate, our Wills and Probate team is here to guide you through the process clearly and compassionately, wherever you are in the process. Get in touch for a quotation, and we’ll talk you through your options with no pressure and no jargon.

If you’d like to start with a simple Will, you can also download a straightforward Will form to get your thinking underway before you speak to us:

DOWNLOAD A SIMPLE WILL FORM

Click to find out more about our Wills and Probate solicitors in Braintree, Brighton, Chelmsford, Croydon, Hastings, Hornchurch, Colchester and Wickford.

Wills and Probate