A will is an important legal document which describes your wishes for what you
would like to happen to your estate (everything you own) after your death. Being
absolutely clear about who you want to benefit when you die will not only remove
any doubt and help avoid family disputes, but also help your loved ones sort out
your affairs at what will be a difficult time for them.
First things first
A good starting point for what and who you might want to include in your will is
to consider the foll
Inheritance Tax (IHT) is a tax levied on a deceased’s estate. The estate is,
with a few exceptions, everything the deceased owns immediately before death.
Normally the tax is charged at 40% of the value of the estate. However there are
lots of exemptions that mean currently only about 1 in 20 estates pay any IHT.
We explain these exemptions below.
Leaving all or part of your estate to your husband, wife or civil partner
The good news is that any gifts made in your will to your spouse or civil
p
Probate is the process of proving who is legally entitled to deal with the
estate of someone who’s died. Commonly, it also describes the process of dealing
with a deceased assets and affairs.
Probate and Administration
Technically probate only covers the situation where the deceased has a will
which appoints executors. Where there is no will, or where there is a will but
no effective appointment of executors, the process is called administration.
Administrators are appointed by the court. Exec
If your will includes a trust, you must appoint trustees. To keep things simple,
with an Affio will your trustees and executors will be the same people, so the
same qualities of a good executor will also apply to your trustees.
Ideally trustees should be someone:
* You trust to follow the instructions you make in your will and for any trusts
needed.
* Who is organised and good at paperwork.
* Willing to take on the role.
* Who will have the best interests of the beneficiaries at heart.
A trustee is a person who has legal responsibility for assets on behalf of
somebody else, called the beneficiary.
Trusts have all sorts of uses. They can be complicated they don’t have to be. In
fact even the most simple of wills might require someone to take legal
responsibility for assets on behalf of someone else. A good example of this is
where a will leaves something to a child under 18 In that case a trust is needed
to hold the assets for them until they reach 18 (or older if that’s what
If you have documented your wishes that are to be carried out after your death
in the form of a will, you will need to review it periodically.
Having your estate and finances distributed to people of your choosing can be
handled legally by way of a will. However if your circumstances change you may
want to alter things like beneficiaries or change assets that are bequeathed to
a specific person.
Life brings about many changes and there are a number of instances where you may
need to amend your Read More »
In the eventuality that the unthinkable happens, you will need a will to make
provision for your partner or spouse. This will not only ensure that they are
financially provided for, it will saves months of painful legal process and
potential disagreements with other relatives.
Making a will is not always on the forefront of everyone's mind especially when
daily living, work, and other things take over. However, it is a sound part of
your overall financial planning.
If you happen to die befor Read More »
Traditionally, the way to write a will and get your affairs in order has been to
engage the services of a solicitor. Having expert help to walk you through the
legal steps required gives a level of comfort and security when it comes to
making plans for your estate.
It also comes at a price.
Using a solicitor to document how you want your finances and assets managed in
the event of your passing does not come cheap. It can also take more than one
appointment which can rack up the cost.
An onl Read More »
You may have thought once or twice about preparing your will. It is one of those
tasks that is easily put off, but it is essential to protect your family, your
estate, and convey your wishes legally and effectively.
However, like many others you may have delayed writing your will for any number
of reasons.
It can be time consuming
It can be stressful or unpleasant
It can be expensive
To draft a will in the traditional manner you will need to book an appointment
with a solicitor, sort out Read More »
Now the hangover has passed and we are back into daily routine here are three
simple things you should sort out in the New Year to keep your AFFairs In Order
(thats the origin of the affio name).
1. Write your Will – it should take between half an hour and an hour to do on
affio. Print it, sign it in front of witnesses and put it somewhere safe.
Tell someone you trust where your Will is! Wills are much simpler than
people realise and it is better to have something and come back lat Read More »
