A Standard Will is the foundation of good estate planning — a single, personal Will written for you as an individual. It sets out exactly who should benefit from your estate, who should act as your executor, and who should be appointed as guardian for any children under 18.
Who it's for: Anyone who wants clarity and control over what happens to their estate, rather than leaving it to the rules of intestacy.
A Mirror Will is designed for couples who want to make coordinated arrangements for their estates. This can be suitable for married couples, civil partners or cohabiting partners who have broadly matching wishes for what should happen to their assets when they die.
Each partner makes their own separate and legally independent Will. Typically, each Will provides for the surviving partner first, with the estate then passing to the same chosen beneficiaries if both partners have died.
As part of the process, you can appoint the same Executors and, where appropriate, Guardians for your children. Your Wills can also include specific gifts of money or personal possessions alongside the main provisions, with Trust arrangements available where they are appropriate.
Although the Wills are designed to mirror one another, they remain separate legal documents. This means that either partner can review or update their own Will if their circumstances, wishes or family arrangements change.
A Mirror Will can provide reassurance that both partners have made clear and coordinated arrangements, helping to reduce uncertainty for those left behind.
A Discretionary Trust Will allows some or all of your estate to be placed into a Trust when you die, rather than passing directly to named beneficiaries. The Trustees you appoint can then decide how and when the Trust assets should be used for the benefit of the people you have chosen.
This type of Will can be particularly useful for blended families, beneficiaries who may need additional protection or support, or anyone who wants greater flexibility over how their estate is ultimately distributed.
You can specify a class of potential beneficiaries and appoint suitable Trustees to manage the Trust. A Letter of Wishes can also be prepared to provide your Trustees with guidance about how you would like the Trust to be administered and how you would like the beneficiaries to be supported.
Trust arrangements can be complex and may have Inheritance Tax and other legal or financial implications. We can advise you on how a Discretionary Trust may fit within your wider estate planning and whether it is appropriate for your circumstances.
The aim is to provide flexibility and protection, allowing your Trustees to respond to changing circumstances while helping to preserve assets for those you wish to benefit.
Trusts can be used as part of wider estate planning to help protect assets and control how and when they are passed to your chosen beneficiaries. Depending on your circumstances, a Will Trust, a Pilot Trust, or a combination of both may be appropriate.
A Will Trust is created within your Will and comes into effect after your death. It can be used to hold particular assets, such as a share of the family home, savings or certain insurance proceeds, for the benefit of your chosen beneficiaries rather than passing those assets to them outright.
A Pilot Trust is established during your lifetime and can be created with a nominal amount before receiving assets in the future. In certain circumstances, it may be used in connection with pension or life insurance benefits and wider estate planning arrangements.
We can advise you on whether a Trust is suitable for your circumstances, help determine the most appropriate type of Trust and prepare the relevant Trust provisions. We can also provide guidance on funding the Trust and the responsibilities of the Trustees.
Trust planning can have important legal and tax consequences, including potential Inheritance Tax considerations. Properly structured, a Trust may provide greater protection and control over assets while ensuring they are managed appropriately for beneficiaries who may not be ready or able to manage them themselves.
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. Putting an LPA in place can give you greater control over who will make decisions for you and how those decisions should be approached.
There are two types of LPA, and many people choose to put both in place.
A Health and Welfare LPA allows your chosen Attorneys to make decisions about matters such as your medical treatment, daily care, living arrangements and other aspects of your welfare. This type of LPA can generally only be used when you are unable to make the relevant decisions yourself.
A Property and Financial Affairs LPA allows your Attorneys to deal with financial matters on your behalf, including managing bank accounts, paying bills, dealing with property and managing other financial affairs. Subject to your instructions, this LPA can also be used while you still have mental capacity.
We can guide you through choosing your Attorneys and replacement Attorneys, prepare the relevant LPA documents and assist with registration with the Office of the Public Guardian. We will also explain when the powers can be used and the responsibilities involved.
None of us can predict when circumstances may change. An unexpected illness, accident or loss of mental capacity can leave loved ones unable to deal with important decisions on your behalf without the appropriate legal authority. Putting an LPA in place in advance can help ensure that the people you trust are able to step in when needed.