Private Client Services and life planning
We offer expert services in Wills and Probate, Court of Protection and Trusts, as well as many other aspects of life planning. We pride ourselves on legal excellence and exceptional customer service.
Private client services
Navigating your way through the legal and statutory obligations following someone’s death is often complex, confusing and stressful. Our solicitors have all the experience and knowledge to make the experience as straightforward as possible. Having someone who can deal with all the legal and other practical matters can be invaluable and can help you plan for the future.
When someone dies, the following are just some of the things that need to be considered:
- Completing an Inheritance Tax return
- Payment of Inheritance Tax (if necessary)
- Obtaining a Grant of Probate
- Collecting in the deceased’s assets
- Paying outstanding debts and funeral expenses
- Settling any gifts specified in the Will
- Selling property & shares
- Dealing with other tax issues (income tax, capital gains tax)
- Setting up trust funds (if required)
- Payment of the remaining Estate funds
Probate is when someone is given the legal right to deal with an estate, including finances when somebody dies.
It maybe that a grant of administration is required.
There are different levels of probate depending on each individual situation and we have specialists who can assist.
Our team of expert Wills and probate solicitors can help you manage and organise your assets in a professional and caring manner. It’s important to consult a Will and probate solicitor, especially when your circumstances include:
- Sharing a property with a significant other, spouse or civil partner
- If you want to leave property to someone who can’t care for themselves
- If there are several people trying to claim ownership over your assets, such as a second spouse or children from another marriage
- If you are running a business and need to leave ownership or control to someone in the event of your death
- If your permanent address is outside of the UK or you have property overseas
- If you have people under the age of 18 in your care who need that need a legal guardian
It’s not just assets you need to think about. Our team can help you create the most tax-efficient Will possible. Our Wills and probate solicitors in Liverpool will work hard to ensure your loved ones get the most from your estate as possible. We also offer Will storage services to help secure your document and keep it safe until it’s needed.
It’s important to appoint somebody who has authority to manage your affairs if you are unable to do so yourself. This can be done by way of a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA).
This will ensure that only those who are appointed as your Attorneys can manage your affairs and not somebody you have not personally chosen.
There are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney:
- One covers all of your legal and financial property and affairs.
- The other covers any personal welfare issues. You can appoint a family member, a friend or simply someone you know and trust to act as your Attorney.
One of our solicitors will also act as your attorney if there is nobody suitable among your family and friends or if you think that they need professional support.
Trust Law is complex, but at Morecrofts, our Private Client Solicitors have a wealth of experience in providing expert advice.
We can assist you in the following matters:
- Establishing and administration of trusts, preparation of accounts for trustees and preparation of trust tax returns.
- Advising on trusts to provide income for a surviving spouse or to protect assets for a vulnerable child or other relative.
- Ensuring wealth passes to future generations whilst minimising the inheritance tax liability.
- Protecting business assets for your family.
- Drafting your Will to include discretionary trusts to protect your assets from being swallowed up in care fees or for your children if your spouse should re-marry.
If a Power of Attorney has not been prepared and someone no longer has the mental capacity to provide instructions, it is possible for someone to be appointed to act on their behalf as their “Deputy”. Such an application is made to the Court of Protection who oversees the actions of the Deputy.
Attorneys/Deputies have personal liability for any action they take on behalf of the incapacitated person. Our team will be able to advise you and deal with all applications to the Court of Protection and registrations with the Office of the Public Guardian. Costs are to be paid by the person on behalf of whom such application is made.
We have specially accredited Lifetime Lawyers who can assist people at all ages in specific areas.
Not only do we offer a dedicated team for elderly clients – able to advise on all legal, financial and individual needs – but we also offer a home visit service to assist those who have difficulty leaving the house.
We can help with:
- Making Wills
- Setting up Trusts
- Making a Lasting Power of Attorney
- Appointing a Professional Deputy
- Moving into sheltered accommodation or residential care
- Minimising inheritance tax
- Managing your money
- Advice and support for carers
- Administration of an estate
If you would like to minimise the Inheritance Tax payable on your death, there are steps you can and should take now.
At Morecrofts, our specialists can advise on the best tax effective ways of providing for your family and dependants during your lifetime and on your death, tailoring our advice to your own personal circumstances.
If a Will needs to be contested then we can assist you. We deal with all aspects of these disputes, whether it is:
- Challenging the validity of the Will on the basis that the necessary formalities were not complied with
- Claiming that the deceased lacked capacity to make the Will or did not have full knowledge and approval of it
- Allegations of someone having undue influence over the deceased
- Uncertainty in the provisions of the Will
- If you are an executor we can advise you on your obligations and if necessary apply to the court for guidance
Sometimes the deceased has not made a Will, and we can also advise you on issues that arise in those circumstances.