Wills
For many people, making a will can be an emotional step to take and it is all too easy to put off until tomorrow. We know from experience that there is more to making a will than simply putting your wishes and instructions into a legal document – there are often family issues to discuss and decisions to be made, such as who will be the guardians for your children. Making a will enables all this to be clearly stated and set out.
Our fixed fees for will drafting, updating and advising are always very competitive.
Cancer Research UK Free Wills Scheme
We are also pleased to support the Cancer Research U.K Free Wills Scheme – where as legal professionals we will offer free support to people aged over 18 who wish to write or update a simple Will.
Write your Will for free and help beat cancer for future generations
The Cancer Research UK Free Will Service – cruk.org/freewillservice
Together we will beat cancer
Please see our blog on how gifts in Wills help Cancer Research – https://evansandgreaves.co.uk/blogs/how-gifts-in-wills-help-cancer-research/
Probate
Probate is the process of dealing with the estate of someone who has died, so the administration of an estate can be a stressful process. We can assist in obtaining the grant of representation (Letters of Administration or Grant of Probate) and help ensure your role as a Personal Representative is fulfilled correctly and legally. We have considerable experience of giving guidance on these matters, for example payment of testamentary expenses and debts and payment of gifts to beneficiaries.
We also deal with contentious probate issues. These can include situations where you feel unfairly excluded as a beneficiary from a Will or when, in the capacity of a personal representative (executor or administrator), you need to defend a claim against an estate.
For our process and pricing information in relation to probate matters, please click here:- https://evansandgreaves.co.uk/wills-probate/probate-pricing-and-process-information/
Powers of Attorney
Many people believe that if they lose capacity, their spouse or family automatically has authority to deal with their finances, property and health and welfare matters. However, that is not the case. In order for the family to have decision making authority a Lasting Power of Attorney is necessary. It is also important to understand the distinction between decisions about finance and property and those of health to ensure your appointed attorney(s) can make medical decisions when health issues arise in a manner consistent with your wishes.
We recommend making this arrangement alongside the will to avoid problems later and for an added degree of assurance. If you do not have a Lasting Power of Attorney in place, your family will not be able to deal with your assets should you become incapacitated unless they obtain a deputyship order from the Court of Protection; this can be expensive and can take time.