• Will Preparation and Powers of Attorney

Few people are aware that if you do not make a Will, then the general law will determine who shares in your estate and this may not be what you yourself would have chosen.

We can discuss with you the best way to dispose of your property and arrange your affairs by Will to maximise the benefit to be gained for your family and friends. In particular we can advise you how best to arrange your affairs so as to minimise the impact of tax upon your death, especially Inheritance Tax.

Periodically you will need to review your Will as, for example, your circumstances change. We can deal with small amendments to your Will by preparing a Codicil for you or redrafting your Will afresh as appropriate.

People nowadays are living longer but unfortunately not always in the best of health. It may therefore be prudent to consider a time when, because of faltering mental faculties, you need somebody to help you to look after your affairs. This eventuality can be easily and cheaply tackled by resorting to a device known as an Enduring Power of Attorney which enables you to appoint, say, a close relative or a professional adviser to manage your affairs for you.

Giving the Power of Attorney is also a prudent step for people of all ages who are not married but could be incapacitated, temporarily or permanently, by illness or injury.

In the first instance please contact Helen Beddow, Michael Overton or Michael Plumbley.

• Probate and Trusts (including administration of estates)

The death of a loved one is a time of great distress for all of us and our aim is to help you with the legal formalities which need to be addressed to ensure that the affairs of the deceased are dealt with as speedily, efficiently and sympathetically as possible.

Whether the deceased died having made a Will or without a Will (i.e. died intestate) we can assist you by:-

• Applying for a Grant of Probate of the Will (where the deceased left one)

• Applying for a Grant of Letters of Administration (where the deceased died intestate)

• In either case administering the estate by collecting in the assets and distributing them to the persons entitled to them

• Dealing with the impact of taxation (e.g. Inheritance Tax) where appropriate

In the first instance please contact Helen Beddow, Michael Overton or Michael Plumbley.