Wills & Estate Administration

Wills & Estate Administration It is never too early to organise your affairs in order to protect your family and business interests in the event of your incapacity or death. Unfortunately, many people simply do not realise the implications of failing to prepare properly for the future of their estate.

All too often, the law is left to determine who will benefit from the assets of the deceased and who will administer them. Loved ones left behind could face unnecessary aggravation, painful delays and extra expense. Without a Will, strict laws of inheritance may not accord with your intentions for your money, possessions and property.

With the correct advice though, your assets will be dealt with precisely as you wished. The specialist solicitors in our Wills and Estate Administration department will guide you with practical advice to ensure your affairs are arranged according to your wishes.

At Napthens our aim is to provide a professional, efficient and sympathetic service to ensure your specific requirements are met. You may need guidance on issues ranging from Inheritance Tax to business succession, appointing Guardians for your children to placing bequests in Trusts.

Rely on Napthens to provide solutions and advice for a range of issues including:

Appointing Executors who will administer your estate according to the terms of your Will.
Appointing Guardians for your children and creating Trusts to deal with their affairs, should they inherit whilst still minors.
Lasting Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection Orders – these can be prepared and are granted to enable relatives, friends or professional advisers to administer the affairs of elderly or incapacitated persons
Creating Discretionary Trusts where an Expression of Wishes is left to guide Trustees. These may prove useful in certain family or tax circumstances, and we can advise on the suitability of creating such a Trust.
Inheritance Tax Planning. With the escalation in property values many people now find their estate may be subject to inheritance tax liability in the event of their death. We advise on appropriate tax-efficient planning.
Business issues. For example, who will run your business, and who will receive shares and the associated tax implications? All these questions and more should be addressed and considered in conjunction with the preparation of your Will.
The administration of deceased’s assets – Probate is the legal process of administering a deceased’s estate when you leave a valid Will or Letters of Administration when you die without a Will. We can help on all matters involved in dealing with a deceased’s affairs and will advise on whether a “grant of representation” is required to administer the estate.
Review your Will – we recommend that you review your Will on a regular basis. Births, deaths, marriages and divorces, or any changes in the extended family, mean that Wills should be reassessed to ensure that they reflect your current wishes. Writing a Will need not be complex – but dying without a Will can create a whole range of complications. Above all, a Will can help to remove any ambiguity and potential conflict - now isn’t that the legacy we would all wish to leave?