Wills Solicitors in Blackheath
Planning for the future that you’re not a part of can feel like a daunting idea at first, but it’s essential to consider having provisions in place to prepare. Our Wills solicitors in Blackheath can advise on your options and guide you through the process.
Our solicitors are recognised for providing advice that is explained in clear, plain English with no legal jargon. We want to deliver a service that is completely personalised, helping to create long-lasting relationships with our clients.
Our Wills solicitors in Blackheath can assist with all types of matters, such as:
- Gifts to members of your family
- Issues in Wills such as Guardianship, adoption and divorce
- Inheritance Tax Planning
- Obtaining Grants of Probate
- Preparation of Wills, Trusts and Deeds
- Reviewing and amending Wills
- Winding up and distributing Estates
- Post death variations and disclaimers
Our Wills solicitors in London can deliver:
- Years of collective experience handling all types of Will matters, including those more complicated
- Solicitors that focus entirely on you and your best interests
- Flexible funding options, including fixed fees, capped fees and deferred fee agreements where appropriate
- We offer a convenient local service in Blackheath. We also have offices in Croydon, Medway and Guildford
Speak to our Wills solicitors in Blackheath, South London
For sensible, practical Wills advice in Blackheath and across South London, please contact our Blackheath office.
For Wills advice in other areas of London and across the South East, including Kent and Surrey, you can contact our local offices in Croydon, Medway and Guildford.
Our Wills advice services in Blackheath
Gifts to members of your family
Gifting your family during your lifetime can be a great way to reduce your inheritance tax but it’s important to note the rules concerning gifting family. If a gift is given and the giver dies within 7 years, there is a possibility that inheritance tax might need to be paid.
Our Will writing solicitors in London can take the time to carefully walk you through the rules on gifting and inheritance tax, including how exceptions can be made with trusts and gifts that are exempt from paying inheritance tax.
Issues in Wills such as Guardianship, adoption and divorce
Wills don’t necessarily have to only concern financial assets. Other aspects can be included such as guardianship for your children should you pass away before they reach the legal age of 18 years old.
Guardianship allows the person you appoint to have parental responsibility for your child or children when you pass away. Our Wills solicitors can assist you in choosing a trusted guardian, taking a number of factors into consideration, and we can further assist in gaining consensus before naming them in your Will.
Inheritance Tax Planning
The Inheritance Tax threshold hasn’t changed since 2009, despite people owning considerably more assets in this day and age, but there is the possibility to reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax an estate will owe when writing a Will with the assistance of a solicitor who has the skill and know how.
Our Will solicitors have worked with clients who have assets both slightly over the threshold and significantly over, no matter your financial position or circumstances, we’re here to find an arrangement which suits your interests.
Obtaining grants of probate
When someone passes away, the executor or administrator of the estate will need to apply for probate, which authorises them to take care of their estate, anything from valuating the estate to selling assets.
Whether your loved one had a valid Will or not, our solicitors can provide the assistance you need for a smooth process without delays, helping to reduce stress levels and allowing you to focus on your grief.
Our solicitors for probate in Blackheath can provide expert assistance with matters concerning:
- The grant of representation
- Grants of probate
- Letters of administration
- Estate administration
Preparation of Wills, Trusts and Deeds
There are many points in life where it is important to consider making a Will and anything else, like trusts. Examples of where this is recommended include where you purchase property, have children and other significant life matters.
Preparing Wills, trusts and deeds can be complicated and must be done correctly otherwise problems can occur further down the line. Seeking the guidance from a solicitor is important during this time.
Our Wills solicitors in Blackheath have decades of collective experience helping clients prepare for the future and will ensure everything is done correctly so there are no problems during probate and administration. We strive to provide proficient advice, explained in plain English so you are completely aware of what you are agreeing to.
Reviewing and amending Wills
Quite often, life circumstances change frequently. To help ensure your Will always meets these circumstances, it’s recommended to update your Will every five years or, more importantly, if there are any significant changes to your life, such as getting married or having a child.
Our solicitors in Blackheath have assisted many clients in a similar position to update their Will that best reflects that change in their life. If the change is small, the team can help you with a codicil. For amendments that are more complex, a new Will will need to be written, following the correct legal procedure.
Winding up and distributing estates
Once the probate has been granted, the executor or administrator will have the authority to begin the process of winding up and distributing the estate. This can often become complex, with expectations to hit and legalities to follow. To make certain everything is done correctly, seeking support from a solicitor is essential if you are an administrator or executor of a Will.
Our solicitors can assist with handling estate administration, whether that’s providing advice and guidance while you take control or instead, handling the entirety of the administration on your behalf where you feel you need additional support.
We have worked with various estates, including those with high net worth assets. With us by your side you can be confident everything has been done correctly.
Our Blackheath solicitors can assist with matters such as:
- Gathering financial documentation
- Sending death certificate copies to relevant organisations
- Valuating the estate
- Opening a bank account for the estate
- Collecting assets
- Selling assets
- Paying all debts, expenses and fees
- Calculating and paying inheritance tax
- Sending off relevant documentation to HMRC
- Distributing the estate to beneficiaries
Post death variations and disclaimers
Some beneficiaries may decide that they do not want to receive the entirety of their inheritance and wish it to go to someone else. This is possible to do through a post death variation, where beneficiares can amend their entitlement.
Our solicitors can advise you on the benefits and limitations to doing this, including whether this means more inheritance tax will be due by the estate and any other potential consequences. You may find other beneficiaries are not happy with this, so we can help you to negotiate and ensure you are all satisfied with the decision before proceeding forward.
Our Wills solicitors’ fees in Blackheath
When it comes to Will services, it’s important that the fees are clearly set out from the start, and to ensure complete transparency, we will provide a clear estimate. At Atkins Hope, we also believe in offering a Will writing service that completely aligns with our fees.
Where it is possible for us, we can present our services on a fixed fee basis, capped fees and deferred fee agreements to assist with your financial circumstances.
To find out more about our Blackheath Wills solicitors’ fees, please get in touch.
Speak to our Will writing solicitors in Blackheath, South London
For sensible, practical Wills advice in Blackheath and across South London, please contact our Blackheath office.
For divorce advice in other areas of London and across the South East, including Kent and Surrey, you can contact our local offices in Croydon, Medway and Guildford.
