For a brief outline of Legal Planning, go here.
For a more detailed overview with videos, go here
Legal Planning Basics – 2 Minute Legal Checkup
2 MINUTE LEGAL CHECKUP.
Do you and your family deserve proper legal protection?
1. Who looks after your financial decisions if you can’t?
Accident, sickness or old age can lead to you being unable to make decisions. Who then can? NOT your spouse (without a Lasting Power of Attorney) and probably never your partner. The Court will decide! Who pays – YOU! Unless you have an EPA or LPA – Lasting Power of Attorney Property & Affairs and make YOUR choice. Is your business safe?
ACTION NEEDED: YES / No already in place.
2. Who looks after your welfare if you can’t?
(Information as in 1)
This covers: where you live, who you see, children, what you eat, medical issues etcIf there is a fit surviving parent they would look after the children but if not it will be up to the Court to decide unless you have a Lasting Power of Attorney – Health & Welfare (introduced Oct 2007). Medical Directives, Living Wills etc are not the same thing at all.
ACTION NEEDED: YES / No already in place.
Too late for 1 and 2 as the person has lost the ability to make decisions? Before Social Services take over, we can discuss the Court of Protection its’ implications and costs/
3. Last Will & Testament (deals with your affairs ONLY after death.)
NO WILL? All decisions will be made by the State, including who gets your children, “Common Law” partners get nothing (without court action) and you will have missed an Asset Protection opportunity. If you have a Will is it up to date? Invalidated by Marriage? Guardians & all kids included? Regularly reviewed? In a safe place? Executors able to find it & still appropriate?
ACTION NEEDED: YES / No already in place / Amend / Review.
4. The Family Bank: Probate Savings, security from creditors, speedy access & flexibility.
Asset Protection plus savings on Probate costs and the security that the value of your home will benefit the right people. Unprotected homes can benefit children’s creditors (or ex-spouses); probate may take 12 months and cost thousands. The Family Bank can help the generations. Save money, hassle and potential TOTAL loss.
ACTION NEEDED: YES / No already in place.
5. Pre-paid funeral plans – independent advice
It makes sense to transfer money from low interest, taxable savings to a Funeral Plan with inflation protection. Save money, stress and argument at a difficult time by pre-planning. Let our team find the appropriate plan for you. See: www.prepaidfuneralreview.co.uk
A separate business.
ACTION NEEDED: YES / No already in place (do the right people know about it?)
6. Probate – sorting things out after a death.
We are specialists in this area and can also review Inheritance Tax issues at the same time.
Hopefully, this won’t be relevant, but if it is, please click through to our main probate help website. There is also a wealth of Legal Planning information on the site – direct link.
Probate arguments? We also offer a specialist contentious probate broking service. A brief initial review to see if there is anything that can be done is very inexpensive. But you have to act quickly.
7. Ongoing review of legal planning
– family situations, Law & Tax are always changing. Will your legal planning remain up to date & safe? Not without our Peace of Mind Service to assist with all these issues! This is a separate company, not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. However, the advice will come from the relevant specialist practice rather than Will Custodian Ltd.
ACTION NEEDED:
Yes, I realise that circumstances change all the time & I would like an ongoing service. OR
No, the firm who set up my Legal Plans regularly reviews my planning, so I remain fully protected.
8. Run a Business?
Where a business is run by an individual or a small group of people, things can go badly wrong if anyone has serious health or mental problems – or dies. Most people will suffer from two of those things at some point! The impact on your business, family and employees can be disastrous without sound planning. Powers of attorney, shareholders/ partnership agreement, IHT and succession planning are just some of the concerns.
Property investors also find our planning advice helpful.
Yes, I need a Review OR
No, I have good advisers who have looked after these aspects and they are taken care of.