A Will is a legal document which ensures that your estate goes where you want it to go when you die. Having a Will means that everything you own and have worked for will and benefit the people you love.
Yes, we will visit you in your home. We will call at a time that suits you, whether it be during the daytime, in the evening or even at weekends. We believe in meeting face to face to ensure that you receive a first-class service. It allows you to feel comfortable and at ease whilst in the comfort of your own home.
Our Wills are a fraction of the price of those sold in local solicitors, where typical charges can run into hundreds of pounds. Our fees are fixed and inclusive of VAT. At just £150 for either a single person or couple, we pride ourselves on the value of the service we provide. This is reflected by our positive reviews, see ‘Testimonials’ page on our website.
Our Home Visit or Telephone/Video Appointments take around two hours. During the appointment we will gather the relevant information and discuss your circumstances. Your paperwork is then processed at our Head Office, and we aim to deliver your documents to you within one calendar month but usually much quicker.
For all products, we ask you for proof of identification and address. This can be done with either a Passport, Birth Certificate, Driving Licence and Utility Bill, one should be photographic identity.
You can. We recommend storing your Will in a safe place, along with any other legal or official documents you might have. However, it is important that you tell your Executors (the people dealing with your Will when you die) where it is. For your piece of mind, we can also arrange to store your Will. The benefit of storing your Will through us is that we will keep it safe in our fire-proof storage facility and we will be able to assist your Executors when the time comes to deal with your affairs.
One of the services we offer is our Ultimate Lifetime Service, this is where we store your Will, update it as often as you wish and, administer your Estate when you die. Currently, we offer estate administration service through our Legal Department. Simply contact us if you need assistance.
An Executor is the person appointed in your Will to carry out your wishes, pay any debts, taxes, and funeral expenses, give any gifts from the Will and wind everything up. On your death, your Executor may need to apply for probate to get legal permission to administer your estate (depending on the size of your estate). Your Executors can be family members or friends and can also be a beneficiary. You can have up to four Executors, one of whom will function as the lead Executor.
If you do not want them to, you can write a Will so that they receive nothing from your estate. However, if you are not fully divorced with a decree absolute – the legal document to prove your divorce then your estranged spouse will be entitled to claim 50% of your estate.
Not necessarily if you do not have a Will. When someone dies without a Will, it is known as dying ‘Intestate.’ If you die intestate, your married or civil partner will receive the first £270,000 of your estate plus anything held jointly. They also receive half of the remainder if there is any. Children will get a share of what remains divided equally between them if there is more than one. By having a Will your children will receive exactly what you wish for them to inherit.
When things go wrong, illness, an accident, or a diagnosis of dementia, it is impossible for someone to manage your affairs. Banks and other institutions will not discuss your affairs with anyone else – including your spouse or partner – without a registered Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in place.
An LPA is a legal document that lets you (the ‘donor’) appoint one or more people (known as ‘Attorneys’) to help you make decisions or make decisions on your behalf.
This gives you more control over what happens to you if, for example, you have an accident or an illness and cannot make decisions for yourself.
You must be 18 years of age or over and have mental capacity – the ability to make your own decisions to make your LPA.
There are 3 types of LPA:
- The Property & Financial Affairs LPA – this power allows your Attorney to manage your money, investments, pay your bills and sell your property. This power can be used when you are physically unable to manage as well as when you may have lost mental capacity.
- The Health & Welfare LPA – this power allows your Attorney to make decisions about how you are treated medically. They can decide if you receive medical or surgical care, whether you remain on a life-support system or if you should be resuscitated. This power can only be used once someone has lost mental capacity.
- The Business LPA – this power allows someone to manage your business interests should you become physically or mentally unable to do so. This power can be used alongside the other powers.
All three LPA’s must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before they can be used.
You can choose to make one type or all 3 as applicable
There is a different process in Scotland and Northern Ireland.