It is important for you to make a Will as a first step in nominating your chosen beneficiaries.

However, it is equally as important to appreciate that your Will can only control the assets that you actually own at the time of your death. If these assets are eroded during your lifetime then there may be very little for your beneficiaries to inherit.

Sideways Disinheritance – what is it? As an example, a wife dies and leaves everything to her husband. The husband eventually re-marries and later dies before the second wife. His estate then transfers to the second wife. As a result on her death the whole estate devolves to the new wife’s children while the children of the original couple are totally disinherited.

Trust Planning is designed to protect your assets during your lifetime, offering you peace of mind that your assets can pass on securely and intact to your spouse, your children and their bloodline after your death. See our case studies.

If you die without a Will, there are certain rules which determine how your money, property or assets should be allocated. This may not be in the way that you intended.

For example, unmarried partners and partners who have not registered a civil partnership cannot inherit from each other unless there is a Will. This can create serious financial problems for the remaining partner.

If you have children, you will need to make a Will so that arrangements for the children can be made if either one or both parents die.

It is often possible to reduce the amount of tax payable on the inheritance if advice is taken in advance and a Will is made. You should always seek professional advice from fully qualified and legally regulated sources about making a Will.

Vengeful Wills – One man left his employer one shilling to buy a book on manners.

Caustic Wills – A woman directed in her will: “To my daughter, I leave £1 – for the kindness and love she has never shown me.”

Surprising Wills – “…and I give the residue (estimated value £1.9 million) to the National Debt Commissioners for the relief of the National Debts”