Planning for the future and managing the affairs of a loved one who has passed away involves navigating complex legal processes. Understanding wills and probate law in London is essential for ensuring your wishes are carried out and that estates are administered correctly. Expert legal advice is available from probate solicitors in London who specialise in all aspects of estate planning, probate, and inheritance planning.
As a private client seeking estate planning services, it's important to understand the various legal aspects involved in protecting your assets and ensuring your wishes are honoured. Many law firms across London offer comprehensive wills and probate services to help individuals and families navigate these complex matters.
If you’re among the 31 million adults in the UK who do not have a Will, then now is the time to cross this off your to-do list. Having a professionally drafted Will is the only way you can be sure that your last wishes are legally protected. It also provides you the opportunity to appoint someone, or multiple people, as an executor to ensure your wishes are carried out.
Your Will is personal to you and allows you to, for example, express the guardianship you’d like for your children if you were to pass away before their eighteenth birthday, take stock of your assets and consider how you would like these to be distributed, include provisions for a charity that is close to your heart, and ensure any sentimental items are gifted to exactly who you want. Without a valid Will in place, the Rules of Intestacy will apply, which could set lower inheritance thresholds than you’d like to allow for and may also see those closest to you miss out.
Having a Will is especially vital if you would like to minimise any inheritance tax payable on your estate, to reduce the risk of disputes, if you have complex assets such as foreign property or business interests, or if you need to cater for particular beneficiaries, such as setting up a special trust for disabled dependants or any children from a previous relationship.
If you have lost a loved one and are looking for support with estate administration in London, our team can help. We understand that experiencing loss can feel like being hit by a tonne of bricks and that the probate process is the last thing you’d want on your mind. We can work with families and loved ones to locate the Last Will and Testament, if there is one, ensure any appointed executors understand their role and legal obligations, and we can help fulfil these duties if needed. We provide flexible options ranging from advice and guidance through to fulfilling administrative tasks.
Our will and probate solicitors in London are well versed in all aspects of private client law and can help you with:
Contact our solicitors in London for a Free Initial Assessment about estate planning or administration options that might be right for you. Our team are approachable, caring and diligent, offering a customer-focused experience.
Under the rules of intestacy, your estate will automatically pass to your spouse when you die.
However, it is worth considering Inheritance Tax implications. Although your spouse is exempt from paying Inheritance Tax on the assets you pass to them, there may be tax consequences for beneficiaries after they die.
Please contact our will writing solicitors for advice.
An executor is a person named in a will to manage an estate.An executor is responsible for paying debts and taxes and for sharing the estate according to the wishes expressed in a will.
More than one executor can be named in a will.
It may be cheaper to make a will with a will writing service than with a solicitor. However, you do not have the same legal protection.
Will writers are not always legally qualified, and they are not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
