Planning for the future is very important, often we all leave things to late. Peace of mind is something that is hard to place a value on.

Here are just some of the things we can advise you on :-

Lasting Power of Attorney

The Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) was introduced on 1 October 2007 - it is now the primary way to give an attorney the authority to look after a person's financial affairs.  The LPA operates both before and after a person becomes incapable of managing their own affairs.

Living Wills

A Living Will can record your wishes, with respect to certain medical procedures that are/are not to be employed on loss of mental capacity ("advanced directive"). Alternatively, a Living Will can record your beliefs on such procedures for the family to consider should a difficult decision with regard to your health have to be made ("non-advanced directive").

Inheritance Tax Planning

When trying to minimise the inheritance tax payable on your estate by your beneficiaries, there are many different options, depending on the circumstances. Subject to your particular situation, the size of your estate and various other factors, we can provide you with a list of options and their pros and cons.

Trusts

A Trust is a fund which contains assets that are controlled by you and/or a nominated third party for the benefit of a specific individual(s). They are governed by complex legal regulations and separate tax rules. A Trust can be set up at any time during the lifetime of an individual to become operative immediately or, not until your death.

Guardians

If you have young children, you should consider appointing guardians to take care of them if you die while they are still young. Even if you have "god parents" we all know that the choice of god parent is sometimes an emotional decision made a specific time.  This is usually done whilst making your Will.