Questions, considered.

A Will allows you to set out how you want your estate to be distributed and who you want to benefit from it. It can also help establish who should care for children and reduce uncertainty for those you leave behind.

Without a valid Will, your estate may be distributed according to the rules of intestacy rather than according to your wishes.

If you die without a valid Will, the rules of intestacy determine how your estate is distributed.

Those rules may not reflect your wishes or the needs of your family. Estate planning allows you to make considered decisions about who should benefit from your estate and how your wishes should be carried out.

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) allows you to appoint people you trust to make decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so yourself.

There are two types: one covering property and financial affairs, and another covering health and welfare.

An LPA is an important part of planning for circumstances during your lifetime, not just after death.

Marriage does not automatically give your spouse legal authority to make decisions about your finances or health if you lose mental capacity.

An LPA allows you to formally appoint people you trust to act on your behalf.

A Will sets out your wishes for what should happen to your estate after your death.

A Trust can be used as part of a wider estate-planning strategy to hold and manage assets for beneficiaries according to specific terms.

Whether a Trust is appropriate depends on your circumstances, objectives and the assets involved.

Estate planning can help you consider how and when your beneficiaries receive their inheritance.

Depending on your circumstances, structures such as trusts may provide greater control over how assets are held and distributed.

The appropriate approach will depend on your individual circumstances.

Property can form an important part of an estate plan.

We can discuss how your property fits within your wider estate and explain the planning considerations that may apply to your circumstances.

Your estate plan should be reviewed whenever there is a significant change in your circumstances.

Examples include marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, a death in the family, purchasing or selling property, changes to your business or significant changes in your financial circumstances.

Even without a major life event, it is sensible to periodically review whether your arrangements still reflect your wishes.

Yes. Your circumstances and wishes can change over time.

Your estate planning arrangements should be reviewed when appropriate to ensure they continue to reflect your intentions.

The timeframe depends on the complexity of your circumstances and the planning required.

A private consultation is the first step. We use that conversation to understand your circumstances, identify your requirements and explain the appropriate next steps.

Your Private Consultation is a confidential conversation about your circumstances, your family and what you want to achieve.

We will discuss your priorities, identify areas that may require consideration and explain the options available to you.

There is no pressure to proceed. The purpose is to give you clarity about the appropriate next steps.