Regardless of your age or financial situation, creating a Will is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure your wishes are honoured and your loved ones are cared for after you pass away.

At Lewis Denley, we offer expert guidance in drafting a Will that clearly outlines how your assets, including money and property, will be distributed, as well as other key matters, such as who will care for your children.

We can also assist you in making your estate tax-efficient, ensuring that as much of your wealth as possible is passed on to those you care about.

For professional advice on making a Will, contact our solicitors in Horsham, West Sussex. Call us today on
01403 456430 or email privateclient@lewisdenley.com. We are here to help.

Our Wills solicitors’ expertise

Thinking about what happens after you pass away can understandably feel overwhelming. At Lewis Denley, our aim is to make the Will drafting process as simple and straightforward as possible. We’ll help you organise your affairs quickly, so you can feel confident that your loved ones will be provided for. We also offer regular reviews of your Will to ensure it always reflects your true wishes.

With years of experience in Will drafting, we can assist with:

• Appointing Executors to manage the administration of your estate
• Leaving money and property to your loved ones
• Structuring your estate to maximise tax exemptions and reliefs, minimising Inheritance Tax
• Appointing guardians to care for your minor children
• Creating Trusts to pass on assets in a specific way (for example, leaving property for minor children or placing conditions on adult children’s inheritance)
• Leaving money to charity
• Setting out your funeral wishes
• Creating contingencies, such as specifying who should inherit if your chosen beneficiaries pass away before you
• Reviewing your Will every 5 years or when your life circumstances change, to ensure it reflects your current wishes

Let us help you ensure that your affairs are in order, with peace of mind for you and your loved ones.

Why make a Will?

Many people delay making a Will, thinking it’s something only necessary later in life or assuming they don’t have enough assets to make it worthwhile. However, creating a Will at any stage in life, regardless of your financial situation, is crucial. The main reason being that without a Will, your estate will not be distributed according to your wishes.

Here are just a few reasons why you should make a Will:

Leave your money and property to whomever you like

In England and Wales, you can leave your assets to anyone you wish, including charitable organisations. Only in limited circumstances can a Will be challenged, and we can offer advice if you have any concerns about this.

Appoint Executors to Manage you Estate

Someone needs to take responsibility for managing your estate after you pass away. This includes valuing assets, settling debts, paying Inheritance Tax, and distributing your estate to the beneficiaries. It’s essential to appoint people you trust for this important role. While many choose relatives or close friends, we can also act as professional Executors if you prefer. For more information, visit our Estate Administration page.

Appoint Guardians for your children

If you have children under 18, your Will allows you to appoint guardians to care for them if you and your partner or anyone else with parental responsibility pass away.

Minimise Inheritance Tax

Inheritance Tax can take up to 40% of your estate above the £325,000 threshold, reducing what your loved ones inherit. We can advise you on structuring your Will to maximise tax reliefs and exemptions, including:

• Leaving everything to your spouse or civil partner (they pay no tax and inherit your tax-free allowance)
• Using the Main Residence Nil Rate Band (up to £150,000, rising to £175,000 in April 2020) for the family home
• Trusts
• Charitable donations (which can reduce the Inheritance Tax burden)
• Agricultural Property and Business Relief

Provide for unmarried partners and dependents

Under the Rules of Intestacy, if you are unmarried and die without a Will, your partner cannot inherit your estate. You can protect your partner and dependents (such as stepchildren or foster children) by naming them in your Will.

Preserve your home

As you or your spouse age, care may become necessary, and the value of your home can be considered by the local authority to cover care fees. We can help you protect some of your home’s value by setting up a trust, ensuring that it remains accessible to your partner and cannot be used for care fees. We’ll also ensure your partner has the right to live in the home or make plans for its sale if long-term care becomes necessary.

Funeral plans

If you have specific wishes for your funeral, you can detail them in your Will. While these wishes aren’t legally binding, it will guide your loved ones and increase the likelihood that your preferences will be followed, especially if your Executors are trusted family or friends.

Avoid family disagreements

By clearly outlining your wishes in a legally binding Will, you can minimise disputes over the distribution of your estate. This saves your loved ones from unnecessary stress during an already challenging time.

At Lewis Denley, we are here to guide you through the Will-making process, ensuring that your wishes are clearly stated and your loved ones are protected. For more information, get in touch with us today.

What happens if I don’t make a Will?

If you do not make a Will, your money and property will be distributed according to the Rules of Intestacy and someone you would have not personally chosen may be appointed to administer the estate (called an Administrator).

Under the rules of intestacy, only certain people are allowed to inherit from your estate. This includes spouses and civil partners, but not unmarried partners. Your children will also inherit some of your estate whether you want them to or not.