Why It Matters
Estate planning entails making your wishes clear so your loved ones don’t have to guess. It covers the decisions you would like made about your health, finances, and property if you're unable to, as well as what happens to your estate when you pass away. It’s not just about creating a Will, it’s about protecting your estate, ensuring your wishes are followed, and leaving a legacy.
Without a proper plan, your estate could be significantly reduced by inheritance tax, your family could face the long and costly process of dealing with the Court of Protection, or your estate could be subject to the rules of Intestacy. Putting these plans in place early on can make a real difference, and provide peace of mind for both you and your loved ones.
How We Help You Plan
As a valued client, we will work with you to create a comprehensive estate plan that covers all aspects of your legacy, from writing your Will to setting up Lasting Powers of Attorney.
Our holistic approach ensures your family is taken care of, and your wishes are clear, no matter what happens.
Wills: We ensure your Will is legally sound, up to date, and clearly outlines your wishes for your estate.
Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs): We advise on and arrange Lasting Powers of Attorney to ensure your health, care, and financial decisions are made by someone you trust if you lose mental capacity.
Inheritance Tax Planning: We provide strategies to reduce the inheritance tax your estate may face, ensuring more of your wealth stays within your family.
Trusts: If appropriate, we can help you set up Trusts to help meet your financial goals.
Common Situations We Help With
- Ensuring your estate goes to your loved ones, not HMRC
- Navigating a complex family situation (e.g., blended families) and wanting to protect your loved ones
- You’ve already written a Will but it needs to be updated
- Setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) for health and care or financial decisions
- Reviewing whether a Trust might be suitable for your goals
We're here to help you have those difficult converstions with loved ones. Get in touch to start discussing your situation.
Testimonials
When we retired we realised that we needed help to plan our finances in retirement and ensure that we had thought about all we should consider as we embarked on the next stage of life together. We chanced upon Richard and the Harold Stephens team and were very fortunate to do so. They provide a friendly, professional service in a homely environment in the heart of Westbury.
It is good to deal with people who not only know their business, but also know us and take a genuine interest in our lives and changing circumstances. We are always given a very warm welcome (and a cup of coffee!) and feel that Richard and his team care about us by providing no pressure advice and the time to chat things through.There are so many uncertainties in life and in financial matters - we find it so reassuring to work with a small, personal team rather than a large, faceless organisation.
The service I have received has been highly satisfactory. It is great having a local financial adviser who is readily accessible for advice.
