How we can help
We can help you to make sense of what you want to achieve with your assets after your death, who you wish to benefit and what protective measures are appropriate. When you’ve decided on your succession goals, we can advise you on the best options to achieve these.
What’s most appropriate for you will very much depend on your family arrangements, the age, skills and situation of your beneficiaries, the type and structure of your assets, and your wishes about how and when your loved ones should receive their inheritance.
Putting in place a robust will that deals with all the relevant factors might include the following:
- executors – we can guide you on appropriate choices to ensure your estate is administered effectively on your death to minimise disputes and disruptions
- minor children – wills can include guardian arrangements and we can draw on the expertise of our family lawyers for any more complex situations
- personal belongings and gifts of cash sums or items
- facilitating philanthropic aims
- allowances - securing the residence nil rate band allowance on a first or second death and maximising the value of any standard nil rate band allowances
- inheritance tax reliefs – maximising the potential benefits offered by assets which attract inheritance tax relief, including opportunities after the first death
- protective structures – incorporating trust structures (with the right trustees) where appropriate to manage asset division between different family members (often spouses/partners and adult children)
While considering your goals, we can also help you manage any family discord, challenging beneficiaries, capacity or influence issues, and can draw on the expertise of our contentious estate, trust and will specialists where necessary.
A well drafted, personal and comprehensive letter of wishes to sit alongside the will can be very important to provide guidance to your executors and trustees.
