We have considerable experience in advising our Elderly clients on all of the various issues that mayaffect them in later life. One of the first steps of putting your affairs in order is to have a properly drawn up Will. Our consultants can advise fully on all the options available to you to help you decide how to dispose of your estate on your death and to prepare a valid Will that is easy to understand. We can also advise on Inheritance tax planning providing Wills that are tax efficient and advise on Life Time gifts.
Our clients also seek advice on Lasting Powers of Attorney. This document allows you to choose someone that you trust to manage your financial affairs in the event that you lose mental capacity in the future. You can also appoint an Attorney to make decisions concerning your Health and Welfare if you no longer have the mental capacity to make such decisions and this can include a decision whether you should receive life sustaining treatment where you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness for example.
If you have a relative who has now lost mental capacity and did not make a Lasting Power of Attorney we can assist you in making an application to the Court of Protection to become a Deputy. We can also assist in other applications to the Court of Protection such as approval of Statutory Wills.
A large part of our work is dealing with the Administration of Estates once someone has died. We can offer a full service dealing with the whole of the administration of the estate including obtaining valuations, completing the Inland Revenue accounts and obtaining the Grant of Probate and distributing the estate .Some clients choose to do some of the "leg work" themselves and then instruct us to prepare all of the paperwork on their behalf.
We also have extensive experience in managing client's financial affairs where they have no one else that can act as an Attorney for them, advising on Nursing home fees and contracts, Deferred Payment Agreements and Legal Charges.
The above issues affect many of our clients and not just the Elderly.
Unit member: Jane Martin-Dye
