Wills

Writing a Will allows you to decide what happens to your money, property and possessions after your death, and you can also ensure that you don't pay more Inheritance Tax than you need to.

Writing your will

When writing your Will, you should make clear who should look after any of your children under 18 years old, who you would like to benefit from your will, and what happens if the people you want to benefit die before you. You should also set out who your executor will be – this is the person who will sort out your estate and ensure that your wishes are carried out after your death).

Signing and witnessing

You will need to sign your Will to ensure that it is legal, and this must be done in the presence of two witnesses (make sure that your two witnesses are over 18). These two witnesses will also need to sign your Will, in your presence.

Changing your Will

Once your Will has been signed and witnessed, the only change you can make is an official alternation called a 'codicil'. There is no limit on how many codicils you add to a Will, and they must be signed and witnessed in the same way as your original will. However, if you need to make major changes, then you should destroy your Will after having created a new one, which should explain that it officially revokes all previous Wills and codicils.

Regular reviews

You should review your Will every five years or after any significant life-changing moments, such as getting married, separated or divorced, having a child, moving house, or if the executor named in your Will dies.

Lasting Power of Attorney

A Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows you to appoint an 'attorney' to act on your behalf if you aren't able to do so yourself due to mental or physical incapacity. Lasting Power of Attorney property and affairs. This Lasting Power of Attorney allows people to act on your behalf, and make decisions about your property and financial affairs when you are unable to make decisions for yourself. If this is not made then The Office of The Public Guardian can sometimes make these decisions for you which may not be the same decision you might make or want. Lasting Power of Attorney for health & welfare. This Lasting Power of Attorney allows you to choose people to act on your behalf and make decisions about your health and personal welfare, when you are unable to make decisions about your health care and medical treatment, decisions about where you live and day to day decisions about your personal welfare, such as your diet, dress or daily routine. This helps your loved ones to adequately manage your financial affairs in the event of an accident, ensure that you receive the required level of care, and make decisions on your behalf as you would wish them to.

Organising a Will and Lasting Power of Attorney through The Clifton Business Consultancy Limited will help save you time and worry. We actively manage the process through a dedicated case handler to minimise delays, and we offer support every step of the way, including storage of all of the documents in one place to make it easier for your trustees and beneficiaries.