Wills and Inheritance Tax Planning

penman sedgwick solicitors watford river wills and probates

The importance of having a properly drafted Will cannot be over stressed.

Two thirds of the adult population are reported not to have a Will and so leave their family to the mercy of the intestacy rules which apply to an estate on death when no Will has been made and by which the estate directs who inherits.

Not leaving a Will can lead to unexpected and undesired results.

It is particularly important to make a Will if you live with a partner and are not married or are not in a registered civil partnership. This is because even if you have lived together for many years a co-habitant may be left with nothing if you have not made a Will.

It is also vital if you have young children or other dependants.

What we do

We have a wealth of experience in Will drafting, mitigating tax liabilities and other aspects of estate planning. We have been assisting clients and their families to protect their estates for the benefit of future generations for many years.

We make Wills for individuals whose family and estates are straight forward as well as those whose circumstances are more complex.

Whether you are single, married, in a civil partnership, co-habiting, separated or divorced, have more than one family to consider, co-own property or run a business we can help you put in place a tax efficient Will suitable to your individual needs and wishes.

We use trusts as appropriate to safeguard assets of young or vulnerable beneficiaries. We can ensure all the legal formalities are complied with.

We believe there is no better person to draft a Will than a person experienced in undertaking the administration of estates following a death.

All our highly trained solicitors deal with estate administration and so have come across many of the problems that can arise and know how they can best be addressed or avoided so you can be confident your wishes will be carried out with the minimum of cost and conflict.

We offer a Professional Executor and Trustee service whether it is your preference to appoint professional Executors and Trustees alone or to act jointly with a relative or friend.

We offer a free Will storage facility to ensure that once you have made your Will it can be readily located when needed.

We also advise on lifetime giving to include outright gifts, gifts to trusts and by Deed of Variation as well as issues relating to business succession and the related Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax implications.

Our Services

Inheritance Tax law is complex and has undergone many changes in the last few years. Even if you have a Will already it is advisable to review this to make sure that it takes into account current tax law as well as any change of family circumstances.

Remember marriage or entering into a civil partnership automatically revokes a Will unless it is stated to have been made in expectation of that marriage or civil partnership.

  • Straightforward Wills
  • Complex Wills including Inheritance Tax planning, trusts for young children, trusts for disabled beneficiaries, Wills designed for second marriages and co-habitees
  • Inheritance Tax Planning
  • Asset Protection Wills
  • Deeds of Variation
  • Professional Executor and Trustee service
  • Will storage facility
Discussions with clients
When we discuss making a Will with our clients we find that the process is much easier if the client has considered the following:

  • What you own

  • Details of your family and status
  • Who you want to inherit
  • Whether you have any particular funeral wishes
  • Who will be the Executors of your Will
  • If a Will has not been written the Law of Intestacy applies

If you need any advice on Wills and Inheritance Tax planning please contact us, and we will respond as soon as possible, or call us on 01923 225212.

Penman Sedgwick's opening hours:

Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 5.30pm