Wills

Leaving no Will or a badly prepared Will can cause untold difficulties and heartache for those you leave behind.

We take care to listen to you and understand in depth your family and personal circumstances before preparing a Will for you. Everyone's circumstances are different. It is a good opportunity to review your affairs generally.

Sometimes we can prompt you to look at what you are planning to happen to your assets when you die in a new light. This can be particularly true if there are difficult family circumstances or where the Will is for a farmer or business owner where succession planning is an issue. Second marriages raise particular issues since there are often two families to provide for and protect.

We will always look to advise you on the tax implications of how you plan to leave your estate and suggest where appropriate how tax can legitimately be reduced.

A properly drawn Will

• Ensures your wishes about a guardian for any young children you have are recorded
• Directs who deals with winding up your estate
• Makes provision for your children and grandchildren until they are old enough to manage their own financial affairs
• Specifies any legacies (money or belongings) which you want particular friends or family to get
• Deals with your funeral and burial wishes
• Secures the financial stability of your surviving husband or wife or other family members
• Incorporates appropriate trusts to protect young children or those you leave behind with disabilities

If you don’t make a Will

• If you are not married your “common law” partner may get nothing
• If you leave no blood relatives, your estate may go to the Government

Hilary Hughes is Chair of the Sussex branch of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. For more information on making a will please contact HILARY HUGHES, RICHARD PENTICOST or PAT SANDS on 01435 890101.