Wills and Tax Planning in the UK

Wills and Tax Planning

Making a will suitable for your own personal circumstances is one of the best things you can do to ensure your peace of mind and protect your loved ones after your death. It can seem like a daunting and somewhat morbid task but when approached in a sensitive and realistic way it can provide you with a lot of reassurance.

No matter what your circumstances our knowledgeable team will work with you to make sure your will is tailored specifically for your needs. Making a will in the only way to ensure that your estate is dealt with by someone you trust and, more importantly, that any assets are passed on exactly as you intend.

If you pass away without a will (intestate) there is no guarantee of this, particularly if you are unmarried or have children from a previous relationship. The death of a loved one is difficultly enough for families without finding themselves locked in legal battles over inheritance claims. As a worst case scenario, if you have no will and no close relatives, your estate could pass to the government – something which could be avoided if you bequeath your assets to friends or charities of your choosing.

What can my Will include?

Specific Gifts and Legacies

You can ensure that certain people receive gifts of property or cash before the rest of your estate is divided out.

Residue of Your Estate

The remainder of your estate (after specific gifts and cash gifts) will be passed to or divided between people that you specify in your Will. You can even direct what should happen if these people pass away before you. For example, you may wish for your children’s share to pass to their children if they pass away before you.

Guardianship of Children

Your Will can make clear your wishes as to who should take care of any children that you have if you pass away whilst they are still young.

Funeral Wishes

Whether you wish to be cremated or buried, where you would like the funeral to be held and even how you would like the service to be conducted can all be made clear in your Will.

Trusts

There are many situations which require more complex arrangements to be put in place. For example, if you need to make arrangements for a disabled family member, or if you want to ensure that children from a previous relationship are provided for whilst still ensuring that your current partner is protected.

Complex arrangements such as these often require a Trust to be created and Poole Alcock Solicitors can provide you with the expert advice that you need.

Tax Planning Experts

When writing a will it is also important to consider the inheritance tax implications. Our experienced solicitors are able to assess any inheritance tax liability and advise on any possible tax allowances or reliefs that may be appropriate for your circumstances. This will allow you plan the distribution of your assets in the most tax efficient way for both you and your beneficiaries.

If you would like more information on writing a will or would like advice on whether your current will is still sufficient for your needs please make and appointment with our specialist team.

Contact us today to arrange an appointment with one of specialist Wills and Probate solicitors. We will take you through everything that you need to consider to ensure that your loved ones are provided for in the most tax efficient way possible.

We will provide you with a draft Will to consider and to let us know whether there are any amendments that you wish to be made. Once you are happy with the draft Will, we will arrange an appointment with you to sign your Will in the presence of a witness.

Once your will is completed and signed by a witness we will store it completely free of charge. Then all you have to do is let your executors know that we have it securely stored and you can relax, safe in the knowledge that you have done all you can to protect your loved ones in the event of your death.