Wills & Probate, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Deputyship Applications, Trusts and Estate Planning and Assisting the Elderly Client

Private Client

Whether you need assistance for a deceased loved one or for yourself the information discussed, be it in relation to Wills, Probate or Powers of Attorney, is often emotive and personal.

Our dedicated team can provide you with the support and legal advice you need. We are empathetic in our approach and always work towards developing a practical and straightforward solution for you at a stressful time in your life.

Probate

When a loved one dies it is easy to feel overwhelmed with the amount of work that is required. We can help you with all the paperwork and provide specialised advice and assistance every step of the way.

We understand this is a difficult time for you and we aim to relieve you of the added pressure and stress that administering an estate can cause.

Our probate team can help with you anything from initial advice, applying for the Grant, or to administering the full estate. We can also advise you on any appropriate post death variations that could minimise inheritance tax liability.

Wills

Everyone should have a Will yet few people do. HM Revenue & Customs have stated that they raised £3.9 billion from Inheritance Tax between April and September of this year. This shows a raise of £400 million compared with the same period last year.

There are various reasons as to why you should make a Will. For a lot of people it’s the peace of mind they receive, knowing their assets will be passed to beneficiaries of their choice, and their Will appoints appropriate persons to administer their estate.

The process of making a Will is usually a lot more straightforward than you might think and our dedicated team are here to guide you through the process and put you at ease every step of the way.

If your Will is prepared professionally, you can be reassured that it will maximise your Inheritance Tax reliefs and exemptions.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

Many people, as a result of physical or mental illness, or as they grow lder, find managing their financial affairs difficult. If this worries you, you can prepare a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). This enables you to make the decision now as to who you would want to assist you or look after your affairs should something happen to you.

An LPA can offer you and your loved ones the security of knowing that there is someone with authority to deal with your finances in the future; without this your family could find it very difficult to simply pay your bills on your behalf, or speak to someone on the phone for you.

If an LPA is not in place and you are not able to deal with your affairs, due to lack of capacity, application has to be submitted to the Court of Protection for a Deputyship Order which is a lengthy and costly process.

There are two types of LPAs, an LPA that relates to your property and finances and one that relates to your health and welfare. Our team are happy to discuss your options and explain the LPA process and how they work. We are happy to meet with you at our office or come to your home or hospital.

Call our Private Client (Wills, LPAs, Probates) team on 01243 532777 or email your enquiry to info@owenkenny.co.uk

Deputyship Applications

If a friend or a loved one is unable to manage their affairs and if they have not previously prepared an Enduring Power of Attorney or a Lasting Power of Attorney then a Deputyship Application is the next step.

Deputyship Application FAQs

Trusts

Trusts can be useful if you have family members who you want to provide for, who may be young or vulnerable.

They help to protect your assets while providing financial stability for your loved ones, after your death.

We often work in conjunction with Independent Financial Advisors to ensure you are undertaking the correct action specific to your circumstances.

Please contact us to discuss your situation and your requirements.

Assisting the Elderly Client

We provide a service designed to assist with the special needs of our elderly or vulnerable clients. We too have elderly relatives and can often advise from our own experiences.

We are members of the Solicitors for the Elderly and work along side local organisations, for example Mind, also Sage House Dementia Hub, to provide an all round service to ensure our clients have a good quality of life.

Our team are more than happy to visit clients where they live if they are unable to get to us. We are happy to discuss any concerns they, their family or their carers may have, and where possible put together an action plan.

In particular we can assist with the following;

• Estate and tax planning using wills, trusts and lifetime giving

• Living Wills

• Statutory Wills

• Giving powers of attorney and Court of Protection work

• Dealing with the finances and if appropriate making an application for relevant benefits

• Trusts administration

• Information on home care

• Preserving assets in the event of long term residential or nursing care

• Care home contracts