Trust Solicitors Barnstaple

Family structures are becoming increasingly complex while our ageing population brings its own challenges, especially in terms of care fees and mental capacity. Foreign property is also widely owned. A common challenge is to ensure that our children benefit from our estate. A simple will may not achieve this, especially where there is a possibility of a spouse or partner remarrying. Special provisions may be required to protect your children’s inheritance. It has therefore never been more important to ensure that expert legal advice is taken on wills, asset protection, trusts and succession planning.

Our experience

Our private client lawyers in Barnstaple have been providing specialist advice and guidance to families for generations.

Our highly experienced team includes lawyers who are members of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). We also have lawyers who are members of the Probate Section of the Law Society and Solicitors for the Elderly. Additionally members of the department are ‘Dementia Friends’.

Together our lawyers in Barnstaple have the requisite legal and taxation knowledge to provide a full range of services, including will writing, estate administration, lasting powers of attorney and deeds of variation.

And if a dispute arises we can call on support from our specialist contentious probate department.

Planning for future generations

We can assist you in managing a smooth transfer of wealth from one generation to the next. We provide innovative solutions to estate planning that are uniquely tailored to your needs and fully tax efficient.

Protecting your children’s inheritance

We are increasingly advising parents on how to protect your children’s inheritance. People often overlook the limitations of a simple will. They fail to appreciate that re-marriage, the Inheritance Act, the intestacy rules and other legal provisions can frustrate your testamentary plans. Our experts can work with you to ensure that your children’s inheritance is protected.

Practical, cost effective advice

Whether your affairs are simple or complex, it’s vital to get the right advice. We offer straight-talking, jargon-free, cost-effective guidance, combining a practical approach to the law with sensitivity and care. We are open and transparent in relation to the fees that we charge. Details of the pricing structure of our probate services can be found here. We offer fixed fees for preparing Lasting Powers of Attorney which you can find here, and details of the cost of standard Wills are here. For a detailed, written estimate of fees in relation to any of our services simply send us an email or give us a call.

Areas of Specialism:

Administration of Estates

We provide a full range of estate administration services including: obtaining a Grant of Representation, dealing with the deceased’s tax affairs (Inheritance Tax, Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax) realising the assets, settling debts and distributing the estate. Where appropriate we can also help you make substantial tax savings, for example by varying the Will. If the estate includes a farm or business which needs to be sold or wound up we can work closely with our agricultural and commercial law teams to ensure that the transaction proceeds smoothly.

Disputed Estates

Inheritance disputes are becoming increasingly common. We can advise on the best steps to take to avoid a dispute arising. Our specialist contentious probate department can also deal with any claim under the Inheritance Act or a challenge to the validity of a will.

Elderly Care & the Court of Protection

We are experienced in dealing with the Court of Protection; whether it is the registration of a Lasting Power of Attorney or making an application for Deputyship. The combination of our caring approach and specialist expertise in the provision of legal services for the elderly will give you peace of mind.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

We can advise on the creation and registration of a Lasting Power of Attorney. An LPA is a legal document which effectively delegates the power to manage your financial affairs to an “attorney” should you lose capacity to manage your own affairs. Having an LPA not only makes financial sense, but offers invaluable peace of mind.

Wills and Tax Planning

While we might not want to think about dying, we owe it to our loved ones to put our affairs in order by making a will and keeping it up to date. This allows us to make financial provision for the people and good causes we really care about. It can also safeguard vulnerable beneficiaries, preserve assets from being exhausted by Care Home fees and, above all, with careful planning it can reduce the impact of Inheritance Tax. It also allows you to protect your children’s inheritance from the consequences of re-marriage.