wills and probate

What will happen to your family when you die? Are their financial needs taken care of and guardians appointed for your children? What happens to your dependants if you are not married? How will your estate be administered if you are in a civil partnership?

If you want your home, savings and personal possessions to go to who you wish and want to make your own choice over guardianship for your children, you must have a Will.

Without a Will the law, not you, lays down who receives your possessions and decides on childcare provisions - it may not be possible for the surviving family to ask a court to alter this.

Detailed Will preparation is just one of the services provided by Thompson Leatherdale's Wills and Probate department. We can advise on choosing your executors. Even the way a Will is drafted can affect the eventual tax liability.

We pay particular attention to the taxation of your estate during your lifetime and on your death. It is your choice (even HMRC say paying Inheritance Tax can be voluntary) but if you want to maximise the estate you leave for your family and dependants it requires specialist knowledge and application which we can supply.

We sympathetically and reassuringly handle all aspects of estate administration. At a time of sorrow we provide practical assistance for the executors in collecting the assets, paying the debts, dealing with tax calculations and payments, distribution and generally relieving the bereaved from any unnecessary worry. At this stage, in some cases, steps can be taken to reduce the tax liability even though a death has occurred.

Click here to download your Will Completion Forms. Use the larger form to collate all your information for summarising onto the short form. Armed with that we can draft your Will and any other documentation required and give your advice on minimising the taxation of your estate.

We will review any existing Wills free of charge whenever necessary.

Click here to download the transparency rules.

Contact John Thompson or William Fursman