Wills and estate planning
We are highly experienced in advising clients on how best to structure their property and affairs to ensure that their assets pass to their intended beneficiaries in the most tax-efficient way after their death. Our advice is tailored to clients’ specific needs, and we aim to provide practical and cost-effective solutions.
We pride ourselves on guiding clients through the process in a sympathetic yet professional manner providing confidence that all options have been considered and that their affairs are in order.
We can advise on all aspects of estate planning including:
- Wills for clients, including those with complex family arrangements, business assets and/or high worth estates.
- The incorporation of trusts within wills.
- The tax consequences of such trusts.
- The use of Letters of Wishes to supplement wills.
- Lifetime planning to minimise inheritance tax exposure on death.
- The preparation and registration of Lasting Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives and General Powers of Attorney.
Please contact us to discuss how we can help you put in place a will and power of attorney to ensure that your estate passes as you wish on death and to enable loved ones to deal with your affairs if you are incapacitated.
Probate and administration of estates
Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of someone who has died. We have extensive probate experience, and pride ourselves on supporting clients efficiently and sensitively at what can be a very difficult time.
We tailor our services to our clients’ needs: we have the expertise to manage complex, high value and multi-jurisdictional estates where required, but are also able to support professional families in administering more straightforward estates cost-effectively.
Our probate and estate administration services include:
- Advising “executors” (appointed under a will) or “administrators” (appointed if there is no valid will) on their role and duties.
- Making applications for grants of probate (on behalf of executors) or letters of administration (on behalf of administrators).
- Advising on inheritance tax (and available exemptions and reliefs) and HM Revenue & Customs’ filing requirements.
- Drafting and filing inheritance tax accounts on behalf of executors or administrators.
- Supporting executors or administrators in administering the estate, or doing so on their behalf, by collecting in assets, paying liabilities and distributing the estate.
- Advising on post-death planning to mitigate inheritance tax or redirect assets using deeds of variation, or appointments under discretionary wills.
Please contact us to discuss how we can support you with probate and administration of estates or advice on inheritance tax.
