Time for Life Magazine recently spoke with Legal expert Justin Culver at Ask About Wills & Trusts. We questioned him about Estate Planning and who we should talk to when writing our Will.
“One of the most common questions I’m asked is whether or not you need a solicitor when it’s time to think about planning an estate and writing a will. In fact, solicitors aren’t the only option when writing a will; you do have alternatives” said Justin.
“First of all, it’s not always a case of ‘either or’. An estate planner works very closely with solicitors during those times when clients choose to use the services of both. There’s nothing to say that you can’t use an estate planning expert for creating an overall plan for the loved ones you leave behind”.
“We would also use our in-house solicitor to ensure no-one can legally contest your will”.
“Some solicitors can be costly, so you might choose an estate planner to help you draw up a will that is legal and also incontestable. This also makes sense because will writing is only one of many services estate planners offer. They also specialise in wealth preservation and family trusts, which means you could have a complete plan for what you’re leaving behind, properly dealt with in one place”.
If you haven’t already made a will, you should seriously consider doing so.
Inheritance tax can come down hard on the loved ones you leave behind if you’ve not made plans to lessen its impact. Estate planners can help you decide where to best place your assets, and how they should be distributed after you’re gone.
Justin added: “If you’ve got young children they’ll need guardians appointing in the event of both you and your wife dying unexpectedly. This is the kind of issue that absolutely should be addressed by estate planning.
Children could find themselves in the care of social services if parents haven’t made specific and adequate provision for their care in their Will”.
Estate planners are therefore, a real, effective alternative to solicitors when it comes to looking after your affairs. The key is that they specialise in this area of law; If you want to ensure that everything, and everyone, will be properly looked after in the event of your death, they’re the ideal choice.
If you would like to learn more about the benefits of Estate planning, or you may wish to begin discussing your will, please contact Justin or one of his team:
- Call Ask About Wills & Trusts on 0845 055 8238
- Text WILL to 07769 330852
- Visit their website at www.askaboutwillsandtrusts.co.uk
