Rachael is on a mission to share her expertise and help more people avoid the all-too-common misery caused by not having a Will, poorly drafted Wills, or the lack of relevant estate planning provisions.
The articles below share her nuggets of wisdom, drawn from years of working with personal and business clients, to help protect you from these pitfalls, explained in straightforward, plain English (not legal jargon).
What do Care Homes cost in this day and age?
The prospect of paying for care homes can seem a daunting one, especially when it appears that so many factors go into assessing out how much exactly you will be…
The difference between Probate & Estate Administration
Both Probate and Estate Administration are associated with handling an individual’s estate after they’ve died, but they are defined differently and often misunderstood. ‘Probate’ is a widely used term but…
Should you appoint a Professional Executor?
An article in The Times from November 2017 warns against appointing a solicitor as an Executor in your Will. The article reported that a couple were faced with an exorbitant…
Office of the Public Guardian launches refund scheme for overcharged Power of Attorney applications
A government scheme has been launched to enable people to claim back the excessive fees they paid the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) for Lasting Power of Attorney applications…
What happens to Social Media accounts on death..?
Following the death of a loved one closing down someone’s Social Media is never going to be top of the agenda, but in the social age it will need to…
How Legacy Giving can reduce your Tax Bill
Who are you going to leave money to in your Will? Your spouse or partner is probably first in line, any children or extended members of the family may pop…
The Importance of Business Succession Planning
You’ve spent years building up your business, but have you given any thought to what will happen when you want to slow down a bit or when you die? Succession…
Is a Trust right for You..?
Building up a sizeable estate is a lifetime’s work – the result of a lot of hard graft. As a result, it is understandable that you would want to pass…
Who are your beneficiaries..?
It is extremely important that any named beneficiary in a Will can be easily identified. After your death, your Executors must be able to say with certainty that an individual…
Jargon-buster: an Estate Planning Who’s Who
There are lots of legal words used when dealing with Wills and estate planning provisions. Here is a guide to the most common ones you are likely to hear: Administrator…
What Death Stats teach us about Life Planning…
It’s always quite sobering to read through the statistics on the mortality rate from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). That said, it’s also very informative. 525,000 deaths were registered…
The Importance of a Business LPA
The use of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) – where an ‘Attorney’ is appointed to make decisions on your behalf should you become unable to make them yourself – has…