If you have not made your Will and you have the responsibility of a family, your own home or a business, we strongly advise that you do so. A Will is central to your overall tax planning strategy, especially if you wish to keep Inheritance Tax to a minimum. We can help you to protect your assets with careful and specific tax planning arrangements. We can advise on the best ways to pass on your assets to your dependents and others and any charitable organisations.

You need to consider what will happen to your dependents and assets, the effect on your business and your liability to taxation should you not be able to manage your own affairs. By taking steps now, you can provide security for your dependents to the best of your ability, peace of mind for yourself and an easier transfer of responsibility when it is necessary. If it is too late to plan ahead in this way because those for whom you care are no longer able to take such decisions, we can still help you.

• Preparing/updating of your Will
• Effects of re-marriage/position of unmarried partners
• Inheritance Tax planning
• Enduring Powers of Attorney
• Advising on charitable gifts, inheritance and intestacy
• Current and future tax liability
• Deeds of Variation
• Disputed Will

We will store your Will free of charge and provide you with copies.

Probate

When someone dies it is necessary to administer their estate. In brief this means making sure that all debts are paid, that any inheritance tax liability is settled and that the assets pass to the beneficiaries in accordance with either the Will or (if there is no Will) the Intestacy Rules.

There is also the option of varying the distribution of the assets (with the beneficiaries consent) by way of a Deed of Variation. This is often done for tax reasons, but can also be of use if a beneficiary would rather his or her inheritance was gifted to somebody else.

These are just some of the ways Adlams can assist you in administering an estate:-

• Explaining the contents of the Will, or advising as to the position if there is no Will
• Ascertaining what the estate comprises
• Finding out what the estate is worth
• Completing the necessary tax paperwork and if necessary arranging the payment of tax
• Advising on the ways of mitigating any tax liability
• Obtaining a Grant of Probate (if there is a Will) or a Grant of Letters of Administration (if there is no Will)
• Gathering in the assets of the estate
• Settling all debts
• Preparation of estate accounts
• Distributing the assets to the Beneficiaries

Please click here to send an email to our Wills and Probate Department or telephone Paul Lowther on 01480 474061 for an informal discussion.