County Bridge Wills

Other Services

In addition to writing Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney, County Bridge Wills offer the following additional services:

1. Property Ownership

Most couples who jointly own their home believe they own the property on a 50/50 basis and they normally want to leave their half to their partner in their Will. In fact, it is most likely that the property will be owned as 'Joint Tenants', which effectively means each partner owns 100%. This means that if one partner dies the survivor automatically becomes the sole owner, so in this way you have no choice to whom you leave your share in your Will as your partner will automatically inherit the property.

It is possible, however, to own a specified percentage of the property and this is ownership as 'Tenants in Common'. This is typically on a 50/50 basis but does not have to be this way.

Each 'Tenant in Common' is entitled to leave their share of the property to whomever they wish in their Will. The share could be placed into a will trust to assist with estate or end of life care planning, for example if you wanted to protect your share of the property after your death, from being lost to your partner's new spouse or swallowed up in expensive care fees.

2. Will Trusts

When it comes to protecting assets and controlling the distribution of your Estate, Will (or Testamentary) Trusts are essential and we provide a variety of different solutions depending upon your objectives.

There are very valuable and genuine reasons for including Will Trusts in your Will and not just for potential inheritance Tax benefits. It is possible to ensure that your children are not disinherited through remarriage after your death, and ensure that they are protected from subsequent divorce settlements too.

A Testamentary Trust can be a simple clause in a Will that protects the money for a minor child until they reach a specified age, or you might want to protect a beneficiary's

inheritance for a short period until a bankruptcy has been discharged. A more complex Testamentary Trust would be required if you wished to make provision in your Will for a disabled child who is unlikely to be able to manage their own financial affairs.

We can offer a number of solutions with the use of Will Trusts and are happy to discuss this further with you during your appointment.

3. Estate Planning

It is often possible to minimise exposure to inheritance tax on your death by taking appropriate steps during your lifetime and also in your Will. We are happy to talk you through the current HMRC rules, reliefs and other arrangements.

 

M. 07771 362086

Email: info@countybridgewills.co.uk

www.countybridgewills.co.uk