Wills, Power of Attorney, Guardianship
If you die without a Will, no-one knows who you wanted to give your estate to. Your assets will then be distributed according to a pre-determined formula with certain family members receiving a defined percentage of your assets despite what you may have wished. Dying intestate can result in your surviving spouse, family and friends suffering unnecessary financial hardship and emotional stress...
Even though there are a lot of "do-it-yourself" kits around, please BE VERY CAREFUL when you use one. Whilst you may think that you've set out exactly what you want to happen after you're gone, its not always that simple. This is where the problems arise. You may state something in your will that seems clear to you, but its interpretation by the Law may be totally different. Also, you may have inadvertently left someone out of your will. Remember, you won't be around to ask what you really meant!
We can give you considered advice about your situation, and guidance as to how to communicate your wishes in the will. We can also advise about the legal ramifications of what you intend to do, and suggest ways around some of the more common problems.
We also ascribe to the "K.I.S" (Keep It Simple) proposition, and avoid any unnecessary complicated legal wording where plain English will be suitable.
It is advisable to regularly review your Will as your circumstances change, examples of changes are, Marriage, Separation or divorce ,the executor is unable to handle the responsibility or has died, a beneficiary having died the value of legacies changing over time, or retirement.