Our Services
Wills
Our Wills department is headed by Outi Hubbard, together with specialist solicitor, Sarah Willcox.
We can advise you on a wide range of issues including:
- Wills
- Inheritance tax planning
- Enduring Powers of Attorney and Lasting Powers of Attorney
- Estate administration
- Equity Release
- Civil Partnership.
Please call to discuss your personal circumstances. It may also be possible to arrange hospital and home visits.
Wills
If you have specific wishes about what you want to happen to your property after your death, you need to make a will. This legal document prevents uncertainty. It also appoints executors (people who deal with the estate) and can appoint testamentary guardians who would look after your minor children on your death. In the absence of a will your property would be distributed under the intestacy rules which seldom reflect what you would wish. We can guide you through the process and assist you to draft your Will to ensure your wishes are kept.
Inheritance Tax Planning
It is possible to mitigate inheritance tax and we can assist you to plan for this. For example, by :
- Using your annual inheritance tax-free allowances to gift your property in your lifetime
- Making an inheritance tax efficient Will
- Making sure that, in the case of a married couple or a civil partnership, you use your inheritance tax free nil rate band on the first death
- Making use of a Deed of Variation, by which you can change someone’s will or intestacy provisions within 2 years from the date of death.
Enduring Powers of Attorney and Lasting Powers of Attorney
You might already have an Enduring Power of Attorney, which was created before 1st of October 2007. Since that date no new Enduring Powers of Attorney can be created but your existing Enduring Power of Attorney will remain valid.
Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a document that you as the Donor make using a special form. There are two types of LPA; a Personal Welfare LPA and a Property and Affairs LPA. LPA enables you to choose someone now who could make decisions for you about your property and affairs or about your personal welfare. This may be because you no longer can make those decisions or lack the mental capacity through illness or dementia to make such decisions.
You can make an LPA if you are over the age of 18 years and have the capacity to do so. If you cannot make an LPA your next of kin can apply to become a Court Appointed Deputy.
Please contact one of our solicitors if you want further information.
Please also visit the Office of the Public Guardian website www.publicguardian.gov.uk or telephone their helpline on 0845 330 2900.
Equity Release
An Equity Release is a scheme whereby you are able to ‘draw down’ the equity in your home, for your use. This is done either by taking a lump sum payment or by drawing down funds on an income basis. There are two main forms of equity release scheme. The first is a lifetime mortgage, under the terms of which you are not usually required to repay the sum you have borrowed until after your death. The second is a home reversion plan, whereby you sell part /all of your home in return for a lump sum. The provisions of an equity release scheme can be onerous; for you, your family and the beneficiaries of your estate. We can advise on all aspects of entering into an equity release scheme.
Civil Partnership
We can also advise on the effects of the Civil Partnership Act 2004, within the context of Wills, Estate Planning and Probate.
Contact
For further information please contact us;
| Outi Hubbard | 020 8735 9771 | oh@hpwsolicitors.co.uk |
| Sarah Wilcox | 020 8735 9772 | sw@hpwsolicitors.co.uk |
