A Will is a legal document that makes sure that your assets go where you want them to after you have passed. Having a Will means your hard-earned savings benefit the people you love rather than anyone else. If you would like to decide who will inherit from your estate and how much they receive then you will need to make a Will.
What is a Will
Yes, we do. Whether during the day, in the evening or at weekends, we’ll come to you at the most convenient time subject to the radius of 30 miles from Telford, otherwise a telephone consultation will be offered.
Suitability for a home visit is dependent on the size and complexity of the estate and will be assessed on the initial phone call.
Home Visits
Our first home visit takes around an hour, during which we’ll gather all the relevant information and discuss your particular circumstances. We then go away and draw up the documents, returning no more than two weeks later for you to sign them in the presence of witnesses. In total, the whole process should take no more than two hours of your time.
How long does it take
For a standard Will, we don’t need to see anything. However, proof of identification like a passport, driving licence or birth certificate is helpful.
You shall also receive by email a pre-visit information sheet which may be useful to review the question set your Will practitioner shall ask on the day of the data capture session.
Documentation
For peace of mind, we can store your Will for you for a small charge per year. Otherwise, you can store your will yourself. We recommend storing it in a safe place, along with any other legal or official documents you might have. You must tell everyone mentioned in the Will – your partner, children and relatives – where it is.
Who keeps my Wills
An executor carries out your instructions in your Will, such as selling your property and ensuring that the correct amount of tax is paid on your estate. You list executors in your Will, and they can be among the beneficiaries. You can have up to four executors. This can be useful if you want different people for different tasks, such as family matters and sorting out taxes.
What does an executor do
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Make sure your money and property go to the people you want them to go to
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Minimise inheritance tax (IHT).
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Name trusted people as executors to sort out your affairs when you die.
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Appoint legal guardians for any children who are still minors.
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Reflect on changes in your life circumstances, such as marriage or divorce, or the birth of children or grandchildren.
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Ensure gifts of personal items are left to the right people.
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Set up trusts and make gifts to charity.
How do Wills work
If you answer ‘yes’ to any of the statements below, it may be that a more tailored and bespoke solution is right for you:
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The value of your estate is over £1m.
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You own a business.
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You or your spouse have children from a previous marriage.
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You have made any large gifts (over £3,000 in any tax year) to individuals or Trusts.
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You were born outside of the UK or have assets outside of the UK.
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Any of your intended beneficiaries need their inheritance protected
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You are a beneficiary of a Trust.
Complex & High-Value
It’s good practice to recheck your Will every five years, especially to make sure it considers any changes in tax regulations that might affect you.
We suggest reviewing your Will following major life changes, for example, if:
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You get married or divorced.
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Any of your beneficiaries get married or die.
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New children or grandchildren are born, and you want them to inherit.
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There’s a significant change in your financial circumstances.
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You come into any inheritance – this could change the value of your estate and the Inheritance Tax payable.
Reviewing Or Changing
As part of our online and face-to-face advice service, we also offer our lifetime Will storage option. Once finalised, we can store your Will for you. If you appoint DanJo & Co. probate partner as the executor of your estate, you’ll also be able to make free amendments as part of our Will storage facility.
This package of additional benefits is designed to make life simpler for you and your loved ones knowing:
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Your Will is kept safe and will be easy to access after your death.
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You can update it at any time if your circumstances change.
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All your important digital information is in one place.
Lifetime Assistance
Making a Will is simple. There are a few ways to do it:
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By phone – call and speak to us
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In-person – come and speak to us or we can arrange a home visit
We recommend our by-phone service if your estate is relatively straightforward. If you have more complex requirements, or you’d like to talk about tax-planning or asset protection options such as setting up a trust, we advise speaking to us in person to see one of our experts.
How to make my Will
This depends on your requirements and the complexity of your estate. Standard Wills offered through our By-phone service cost:
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£175 (including VAT) for a single Will
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£199 (including VAT) for ‘mirror’ Wills (for couples - if your needs are very similar).
More complex and high-value estates require more dedicated legal advice tailored to your needs, to ensure you and your loved ones are provided for in the most tax-efficient way.