Wills and what do they mean to you?

Many people often put off creating a Will, in fact, 4 in 10 people haven’t got one in the UK alone.

But you don’t have to be rich, have lots of assets or be in a precarious health position to start thinking about a Will.

If you own a property, have children or are concerned about hereditary illnesses, you should have a Will in place to protect you and your loved ones.

Children

If you died whilst your children are still minors and you don’t have another parent to look after them then the state will decide on where they should live and who will bring them up. A simple Will stating who you wish to look after your children will combat this straight away and give your children stability in a time of deep sadness.

Property and belongings

If you own a home or property, whether it’s under mortgage or not, a Will will ensure your property will be given or split fairly amongst the people you choose. If there’s no surviving partner, married or civil partnership, living with you then it will be spilt equally between your children. If you aren’t married and just cohabiting, then your partner won’t be able to have a claim on the home if it’s in your name. If you have separated from a partner but not divorced, they can make a claim for your home as well. To find out more speak to our specialist team.

Lasting Power of Attorney

As well as having an up to date Will, Lasting Powers of Attorneys can be invaluable.   A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) can be made for both Property and Finances as well as Health and Welfare.  LPAs allow people chosen by you to make decisions on your behalf if you no longer have the capacity to make such decisions, for instance if you were to suffer a stroke, or dementia.  Each LPA must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before it can be used. 

If you or a member of your family were to lose capacity without making a Lasting Power of Attorney, the Court of Protection would decide who should make financial or health decisions for you.  In such cases Howard & Over assist in the Court of Protection proceedings to make the process as smooth as possible.

We understand how sensitive it can be to create a Will and everything that surrounds it but we also know just how important a Will is, speak to ourteam