WHY YOUR MUM NEEDS A POWER OF ATTORNEY NOW!
WHY YOUR MUM NEEDS A POWER OF ATTORNEY NOW! From time to time I speak at networking events about Lasting Powers of Attorney and am often asked questions. So, I’ve decided to put fingers to keyboard and go through some of the common ones. My hope is that this will help your mum understand why she should get a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in place. If you’re an adult offspring you and your mum need to talk about sorting her LPA out. And, the sooner the better – because one never knows! WHAT IS A POWER OF ATTORNEY? An […]
THREE THINGS YOU MUST INCLUDE IN YOUR WILL!
THREE THINGS YOU MUST INCLUDE IN YOUR WILL! When I speak to clients about their Wills, I encounter recurring topics that I have to ask them to make decisions about. It’s natural that the same, or similar, issues come up. So, to save you some time when you come to do your own Will, here’s a list of my top three must-haves. 1.YOUR EXECUTORS The Executors are the people that will carry out your instructions in your Will. They are the people that have the legal authority to manage your estate after you die. So, it’s essential you decide who […]
NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS, NEW WILL!
New Year resolutions. We’ve been making them and breaking them since time immemorial. As the ever-faithful Wikipedia points out, the ancient Babylonians did it. The Romans began each year by making promises to the god, Janus, from whom January gets its name. The Mediaeval era saw knights, at the end of each Christmas season, take the ‘peacock vow’ to reaffirm their commitment to chivalry. And we’re still making them – and breaking them – all these centuries later. But I have to talk to you about one resolution you should absolutely make – and absolutely not break. That of getting your Will done!
SEVEN REASONS TO MAKE A WILL RIGHT NOW
From protecting your children to sleeping better at night, here are our Swindon Will Writing seven reasons to make a will right now.
HAVE WILL – will travel!
Every year, as summer approaches, I wonder if the Will writing business will slacken over the holiday period. ‘After all’, I reason to myself, ‘people are on downtime, they’re relaxing with their families and busy keeping the kids entertained.’ Yet, without fail, the opposite is true.
I find that holiday preparations are a common trigger for people to call me in a panic, wondering if it’s possible to get a Will drafted before they jet off. So, far from being quiet, business tends to get a tad hectic!
FIVE REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO WRITE A LETTER OF WISHES WITH YOUR WILL
FIVE REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO WRITE A LETTER OF WISHES WITH YOUR WILL 1. If you have appointed Guardians for your children Lots of people use their Wills to appoint Guardians if they have children under the age of eighteen. And that’s an important reason to have a Will written. I don’t though want to go into that in this post. If you want to know more about appointing guardians in your Will you can watch my short vlog (video blog) on the subject here: https://youtu.be/tPY7ZjMCiic But fret not if YouTube is not your thing. If you prefer, simply […]
WHAT MAKES YOUR LIFE WORTH LIVING?
WHAT MAKES YOUR LIFE WORTH LIVING? I’ve recently finished reading When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. I chose to read it because I knew that it asked the Big Questions. You know the ones: what gives life meaning, what’s the meaning of life, and how to face death and come to terms with it. This book also resonates with me on personal and professional levels. Sometimes, and more often than I should be, I’m the first person my clients have spoken to about end-of-life care, what quality of life means to them, and what sort of decisions they would […]
NO MAN IS AN ISLAND
NO MAN IS AN ISLAND I’ve been pondering on this blog for a while. To be honest, I was having writer’s block. Let’s face it, there’s only so much I can say about Wills and Powers of Attorney and Inheritance tax. It’s a bit of a dry subject and there’s a limit to what I can say on it that would keep you engaged. Then I thought: hang on, I could make this one a bit different. For a change, I’ll talk about stuff like emotions, feelings, and the value of living your life to the fullest. Now I’m not […]
NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS AND MY CHARITY OF THE YEAR
NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS AND MY CHARITY OF THE YEAR 2018 I know, I know, it’s not even Christmas yet. So why on earth am I bringing up New Year Resolutions? I can’t help it I’m afraid. It’s time to publish my trusted and, some might say, valuable blog. Which is why I had no choice but to get ahead of the game and get you ahead of the game too. So for a moment forget about what you can buy Aunt Mabel. Can she cope with more posh toiletries and yet another scented candle? If the answer is yes, you […]
WHY WRITING WILLS MAKES ME SO HAPPY!
WHY WRITING WILLS MAKES ME SO HAPPY! I’d forgive you for thinking I’m a bit strange – but I do enjoy writing Wills for my clients. It makes me happy and puts a smile on my face. I get even more excited in the moment after I’ve witnessed them signing their Wills when I see the look of relief on their faces. Job done! But how did this happen? How did I end up as a Will writer? It’s not the sort of thing most people have a desire to do when they are young and full of hopes and […]
Have Will, will travel!
Have Will, will travel! AN ESSENTIAL ITEM TO ADD TO YOUR HOLIDAY CHECKLIST – HAVE YOU GOT A VALID WILL? Picture the scene: you’re packing for your holiday. You’re excited and can’t wait to get away from it all. Your sojourn in the sun, sightseeing in the city or swooshing down the slopes is almost upon you. It’s quality time for you and your family and it’s great to all be getting away together for some R&R. So, you’d think that, in this flurry of pre-holiday activity, having a valid Will in place would be the last thing on people’s […]
The new inheritance tax allowance and how it affects you
The new inheritance tax allowance and how it affects you The Residence Nil Rate Band Allowance What is it? The Residence Nil Rate Band (RNRB) is a new allowance for inheritance tax that came into force on 6th April 2017. It’s an additional inheritance tax-free amount that certain individuals can use alongside their existing Nil Rate Band (NRB) allowance. How does it work? At the moment, everyone has an NRB allowance of £325,000. This means that when you die, if the value of your estate, and any gift made within seven years of death, is below this amount, there will […]