Arnold Thomson logo

(01327) 350266

Towcester (Head Office)

(01858) 414233

Market Harborough

Search
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Meet The Team
    • Accreditations & Associations
  • Our Services
    • Agricultural Law and Rural Business
    • Residential Property
    • Commercial Property
    • Wills, Probate & Trusts
  • Latest News
  • Resources
  • Recruitment
  • Contact
  • Fees & Services Guide
    • Terms of Business
    • Price & Services Notice – Probate Estate Admin Range of Costs
    • Price & Services Notice – Probate Fixed Fee
    • Price & Services Notice – Purchase of Freehold Property
    • Price & Services Notice – Purchase of Leasehold Property
Menu
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Meet The Team
    • Accreditations & Associations
  • Our Services
    • Agricultural Law and Rural Business
    • Residential Property
    • Commercial Property
    • Wills, Probate & Trusts
  • Latest News
  • Resources
  • Recruitment
  • Contact
  • Fees & Services Guide
    • Terms of Business
    • Price & Services Notice – Probate Estate Admin Range of Costs
    • Price & Services Notice – Probate Fixed Fee
    • Price & Services Notice – Purchase of Freehold Property
    • Price & Services Notice – Purchase of Leasehold Property
Twitter
Arnold Thomson logo
Menu
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Meet The Team
    • Accreditations & Associations
  • Our Services
    • Agricultural Law and Rural Business
    • Residential Property
    • Commercial Property
    • Wills, Probate & Trusts
  • Latest News
  • Resources
  • Recruitment
  • Contact
  • Fees & Services Guide
    • Terms of Business
    • Price & Services Notice – Probate Estate Admin Range of Costs
    • Price & Services Notice – Probate Fixed Fee
    • Price & Services Notice – Purchase of Freehold Property
    • Price & Services Notice – Purchase of Leasehold Property

Private Client: Wills, Probate, IHT & Trust

Securing the future for your loved ones

Dying without a Will can create problems for family members, loved ones and other beneficiaries. On the other hand, a Will which is both flexible and as tax effective as possible in terms of inheritance tax gives an assurance that family members and loved ones will not be subjected to the uncertainty of the intestacy rules. Our level of expertise, personal approach and deep understanding of what families go through following the death of a loved one equips us with the ability to guide you through the Will making process and to ensure that the best protection is afforded to your family and loved ones.

The period after death can be very stressful for the family and friends of the person who has died. The formalities can be especially daunting. However because we have been helping bereaved families for over 25 years we understand the difficulties, challenges and complexities involved. We will provide you and your loved ones with solutions which are bespoke to your particular circumstances.

Tax is also becoming increasingly complex and it is more important than ever that proper advice is taken before making any major commitments or decisions, especially when contemplating tax planning with family home. Our Wills, Probate, Tax and Trusts team members possess an unrivalled level of expertise with which your matter will be knowledgeably dealt with. As amiable as they are professional, they are fiercely dedicated to protecting your best interest and ensuring that your wishes are carried out.

Wills
It is estimated that 60% of the population may not make a will. You decide who looks after your estate. When you write a Will you will say who you would like to look after the formalities. Whether it is relatives or friends, you can decide who the best person(s) is to ensure that your wishes are carried out after your death.
Inheritance Tax and Trusts

The threshold* for the value of an estate before it attracts inheritance tax is currently £325,000.00, which is known as the Nil Rate Band (NRB). Everyone is entitled to the Nil Rate Band. This means that there is no tax payable when your estate is left to your spouse if the estate is under the threshold. However, where the value of an estate exceeds the threshold, the excess value attracts 40% inheritance tax when left to others. If you are married or in a civil partnership, on the demise of one spouse, there is a possible total NRB allowance to be used of £650,000.00 before inheritance tax becomes payable. A new exemption ‘the Residence Nil Rate Band (RNRB)’ came into force in April 2017. This relates to an interest in residential property that you leave to your children and other descendants. From April 2020 this allowance which be £175,000. If you have any questions about how the Inheritance Tax rules affect you and your loved ones, we will be happy to assist and advice on matters of Inheritance Tax planning.

*As at February 2020

Lasting Powers of Attorney

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA)
A LPA is a legal document which gives another person power to act on your behalf in respect of your financial or property affairs and health and welfare when you can no longer deal with your own affairs.

The benefits of making a LPA
Having a LPA in place can save a lot of time, trouble and expense in the future. You can choose who you wish to appoint as your Attorney or Attorneys which can be anyone you know and trust such as spouses, children over 18 or professional advisers. Your Attorney will be able to do anything with your finances which you are usually able to do, for example, open and close bank accounts, pay bills, sell your property and make investments. You can include restrictions and/or conditions in your LPA. Even though a LPA has been made this does not prevent you from dealing with your own affairs while you are still able to do so.

Even though a LPA has been made this does not prevent you from dealing with your own affairs while you are still able to do so.

Contentious Probate

Unfortunately Trust and estate disputes are on the increase. These can be in the form of challenges to a Will or to the Executors, or where somebody has been left out of an estate. The obvious challenges include contesting the Will, if there might be issues with the Will itself, a claim under the Inheritance (Provisions for Family Dependents) Act 1975 where somebody has been left out of an estate, or not left as much as they believe they need. There may also be contentious probate disputes if there is a disagreement over how the estate should be administered. Trust disputes may also arise, necessitating the removal of a Trustee. Similarly, claims of professional negligence can be brought where a solicitor or Will writer is believed to have incorrectly drawn up a Will or has given negligent advice.

In any of these situations, careful and professional handling is always key. With specialist knowledge and skilful guidance, we can assist where there are disagreements between beneficiaries, those in charge of administering the estate, or looking after various ass

Administration of Estates and Probate

Deciding how best to handle the affairs of a loved one following their death can be a very daunting task, even when they have left instructions in their Will on how they would like their estate distributed.  

The administration of someone’s estate usually falls into two distinct stages; the first is obtaining Probate and the second is the distribution of the assets/estate. Where the deceased left a valid Will, Executors usually, but not always, need to obtain a Grant of Probate in order to deal with the estate. Where the deceased dies intestate, i.e. they did not leave a Will, then their next of kin will need to obtain Letters of Administration. There are strict rules about who is able to make the application. The Grant of Probate and the Letters of Administration are the documents that evidence someone’s authority to deal with a deceased’s assets.

Once Probate or Letter of Administration is obtained, the second stage commences with the accumulation of all the deceased’s assets (which constitute their estate), paying off any liabilities that they had and distributing the remainder to their chosen beneficiaries. This final part can be particularly complex where the deceased died intestate.

If you are an Executor or a loved one has died and you feel that you need assistance or guidance on how best to deal with their estate, please do contact us. We would be happy to meet with you to discuss the situation in detail so we can help explain the steps that you need to take. 

Useful Links

www.gov.uk/inheritance-tax/overview
www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance/overview
www.lawsociety.org.uk/for-the-public/common-legal-issues/probate/
www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/how-budget-affect-me/Budget-2015-How-inheritance-tax-changes-might-affect-you

Meet the Wills & Probate Team

Nadiya Virani-Bland

Nadiya Virani-Bland

Director & Head of Private Client

nadiya.virani-bland@arnoldthomson.com
01327 350266
Mike Thomson

Mike Thomson

Consultant

01327 355266
Matt Hawkins

Matt Hawkins

Director

matt.hawkins@arnoldthomson.com
01327 350266
Samantha Priestman

Samantha Priestman

Graduate Member of CILEX

samantha.priestman@arnoldthomson.com
01327 350266
Caroline Gibbs

Caroline Gibbs

Consultant

caroline.gibbs@arnoldthomson.com
01327 350266
Thomas Hazlewood

Thomas Hazlewood

Private Client Solicitor

thomas.hazlewood@arnoldthomson.com
01327 350266
Karen Ward

Karen Ward

Private Client Lawyer

karen.ward@arnoldthomson.com
01327 350266

Assisted by

Angela Jenkinson

Legal Secretary

angela.jenkinson@arnoldthomson.com
01327 350266

Sue Brown

Legal Secretary

sue.brown@arnoldthomson.com
01327 350266

Su Sands

Legal Secretary

su.sands@arnoldthomson.com
01327 350266

Katie Lincoln

Legal Assistant

katie.lincoln@arnoldthomson.com
01327 350266

No more pages to load

Let us know how we can assist you...

Request Consultation
Arnold Thomson logo

Arnold Thomson Solicitors is the trading name of Arnold Thomson Limited registered in England & Wales. Company number 6207836. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority SRA Number 463361. A list of Directors is available at the registered office address. You can access the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s rules from their website at SRA website.

Services

  • AGRICULTURAL LAW & RURAL BUSINESS
  • RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
  • COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
  • WILLS, PROBATE, TAX & TRUSTS
  • Contact Us

Registered office

  • 205 Watling Street West, Towcester,
    Northamptonshire NN12 6BX
    DX 16932 TOWCESTER
  • Mon to Thurs 8:45am to 5:15pm
    Friday 8:45am to 5:00pm
  • 24 Hour Voicemail
© Arnold Thomson. All Rights Reserved. | Accessibility & Legal | Sitemap | Terms & Conditions | Privacy & Cookie Policy | Website Disclaimer |  Website by Space Five​​
This website uses cookies to improve your experience and provide statistics on site use. Read MoreACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

Coronavirus Outbreak – A Message from Arnold Thomson

Dear All,

In these trying and unprecedented times we find ourselves, we wanted to update you of the steps we are taking at Arnold Thomson in response to the Coronavirus outbreak in the UK and beyond. Needless to say, the safety of our staff, our clients, professional colleagues and all our contacts is of paramount importance. It has therefore proven necessary for us take some measures, in adherence to the guidelines issued by the UK Government and the NHS. In addition to all the precautionary steps advised by the NHS, we have also implemented social distancing measures as well as working from home wherever possible. We have maintained and will continue to maintain (until or unless otherwise advised by the Government), a presence in the office such that we all continue to attend to our clients’ matters both from the office and remotely. To reduce the risk of potential exposure to the virus for clients as well as our staff, we have however decided not to hold face to face meetings for now, except in exceptional or essential cases. Instead, we are happy to attend to you over the telephone, via Skype, FaceTime and other reliable and secure alternatives. Please call our offices as normal, email your enquiries to us at enquiries@arnoldthomson.com and visit our website for regular updates.

Over the years and in anticipation of situations such as this, we have perfected our Business Continuity Plan, which enables many of us to be able to work outside the office in the same manner as we would from our premises. We are therefore confident that all the resources which we already have in place will enable us to carry on our business as normal, while concurrently protecting the safety of our staff. We would like to reassure all our clients that we will continue to look after your best interests and to progress matters on your behalf. Please be rest assured that our strict policy on confidentiality and data protection remains firmly in place at all times.

Finally, we remain vigilant in closely monitoring events, further updates from health organisations and the Government. We will continue to adopt necessary measures to ensure safety and to continue to meet the needs of our clients.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Best Wishes,

Arnold Thomson