Question 1

Q. What is a will?

Accepted Answer

A. A will is a legal document that makes sure that your assets go where you want them to after you have passed. Having a will means your hard-earned savings benefit the people you love rather than anyone else.

Question 2

Q. Why should I make a will?

Accepted Answer

A. To choose your heirs and their shares, you must make a will. A will clarifies your wishes and can also help reduce estate administration fees.

Question 3

Q. Do you do home visits?

Accepted Answer

A. Yes, we do. Whether during the day, in the evening or weekends, we’ll come to you at the most convenient time. Meeting people face to face is very important to us to build relationships, and our customers prefer it too!

Question 4

Q. How long does it take?

Accepted Answer

A. Our first home visit takes around an hour, during which we’ll gather all the relevant information and discuss your particular circumstances. We then go away and draw up the documents, returning no more than two weeks later for you to sign them in the presence of witnesses. In total, the whole process should take no more than two hours of your time.

Question 5

Q. What documentation will I need to show?

Accepted Answer

A. For a basic will, we don’t need to see anything. However, proof of identification like a passport, driving licence or birth certificate is helpful.

Question 6

Q. Who keeps my will?

Accepted Answer

A. For peace of mind, we can store your will for you for a small charge per year. Otherwise, you can store your will yourself. We recommend storing it in a safe place, along with any other legal or official documents you might have. You must tell everyone mentioned in the will – your partner, children and relatives – where it is.

Question 7

Q. What does an executor do?

Accepted Answer

A. An executor carries out your instructions in your will, such as selling your property and ensuring that the correct amount of tax is paid on your estate. You list executors in your will, and they can be among the beneficiaries. You can have up to four executors. This can be useful if you want different people for different tasks, such as family matters and sorting out taxes.

Question 8

Q. Will my ex-husband/wife get any money when I die?

Accepted Answer

A. You can write a will to prevent an ex-partner from inheriting your money. That’s assuming you’re divorced and you have the legal document to prove it.

Question 9

Q. Will my children get my money when I die?

Accepted Answer

A. If you don’t will, it’s not certain that your children will not get any money. When someone passes without a will, it’s known as dying intestate. When such an event happens, your married or civil partner gets the first £270,000 of your estate. If anything is remaining, they also get half of the estate. Your children will then get a share of what’s left, divided equally between them. With a will, you can give your children exactly what you want them to have.

Question 10

Q. What is a lasting power of attorney?

Accepted Answer

A. A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a set of documents that legally allows other people to act on your behalf if you can no longer make decisions for yourself. An attorney is the person who has the legal authority to make decisions, such as accessing a bank account.

Question 11

Q. What happens if I don’t make an LPA?

Accepted Answer

A. There may be a time when no one can legally make decisions for you if you didn’t create an LPA earlier. Paying bills, care costs, or making decisions about your future care can then become incredibly difficult.

Question 12

Q. When should I make an LPA?

Accepted Answer

A. It’s impossible to know when you might need a lasting power of attorney, and we recommend that everyone create an LPA. As you get older, the LPA is increasingly important as illnesses such as dementia become a higher risk.

Question 13

Q. Do I also need a will?

Accepted Answer

A. It makes sense to complete your will and lasting power of attorney together. These documents will provide you with peace of mind, ensuring your preparedness in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

Question 14

A. What is a trust?

Accepted Answer

A. Trust is the legal owner of assets. The trust owns your assets, so tax inspectors or ex-partners can't access them. This item shall be incorporated into your will.

Question 15

Q. Who are the trustees who will manage my trust?

Accepted Answer

A. You can choose anyone, but you should ensure that you’re confident that you can rely on these people to carry out your wishes when you’re no longer here. Typically, trustees are family members or close friends.

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