Prestwich Solicitors

Prestwich Wills & Probate Solicitors

Dealing with wills and probate can be an emotionally charged and legally complex process.

At DLS Solicitors, we understand the sensitive nature of these matters and are dedicated to providing comprehensive and empathetic legal services to the residents of Prestwich. Our experienced team ensures that your legal affairs are managed with the utmost care, respect, and professionalism, offering peace of mind to you and your loved ones.

Will Writing

1. Initial Consultation: We begin with a thorough consultation to understand your personal and financial circumstances. This meeting allows us to gather essential information about your assets, family structure, and any specific wishes you have for your estate.

2. Drafting the Will: Our solicitors will draft a will that clearly states your intentions, covering all aspects such as property, financial assets, personal belongings, and guardianship provisions for minor children. We ensure that your will complies with legal requirements and addresses all potential contingencies.

3. Reviewing and Finalising: Once the initial draft is prepared, we review it with you in detail, making any necessary adjustments. We encourage you to ask questions and ensure you fully understand the document. After your approval, the will is finalised and signed in the presence of witnesses, making it legally binding.

4. Updating Your Will: Circumstances change over time, and it’s essential to keep your will up to date. We offer services to review and update your will, ensuring it continues to reflect your current wishes and family situation.

Estate Planning

1. Comprehensive Planning: Our estate planning services encompass more than just writing a will. We provide advice on setting up various trusts, such as life interest trusts, discretionary trusts, and bare trusts, tailored to your needs.

2. Tax Efficiency: We focus on making your estate tax-efficient, helping you to utilise allowances and reliefs to minimise the inheritance tax liability. This includes planning lifetime gifts, using exemptions, and considering the implications of the seven-year rule.

3. Long-Term Care Planning: Planning for potential future care needs is a crucial aspect of estate planning. We advise on strategies to protect your assets from being depleted by care home fees, ensuring that more of your estate can be preserved for your beneficiaries.

4. Business Succession Planning: If you own a business, we assist with succession planning to ensure a smooth transition of ownership and management. This includes drafting business wills and advising on the use of family trusts to pass on business assets.

Probate and Estate Administration

1. Grant of Probate: Obtaining the grant of probate is the first step in administering an estate. We handle the application process, preparing the necessary documents and submitting them to the Probate Registry.

2. Estate Valuation: Accurately valuing the estate is crucial for both probate and inheritance tax purposes. We assist with the valuation of all assets, including real estate, investments, personal belongings, and debts.

3. Managing the Estate: As part of our estate administration service, we collect and distribute the assets according to the terms of the will or, if there is no will, according to the rules of intestacy. This includes paying any debts and taxes owed by the estate.

4. Finalising the Estate: Once all liabilities have been settled and assets distributed, we prepare final accounts for the beneficiaries, ensuring transparency and clarity throughout the process.

Power of Attorney

1. Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA): We assist in creating lasting powers of attorney, which allow you to appoint trusted individuals to manage your financial affairs and make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated.

2. Health and Welfare LPA: This type of LPA covers decisions about your healthcare and personal welfare, including medical treatment and living arrangements. We ensure that the document is clear and comprehensive, reflecting your preferences.

3. Property and Financial Affairs LPA: This LPA allows your appointed attorney to manage your financial affairs, such as paying bills, managing investments, and handling property transactions. We provide guidance on choosing the right attorney and setting out clear instructions.

Contested Wills and Dispute Resolution

1. Mediation Services: We offer mediation services to resolve disputes over wills and estates amicably. Mediation can be a cost-effective and less adversarial alternative to court proceedings, preserving family relationships.

2. Litigation Support: If a dispute cannot be resolved through mediation, we provide robust representation in court. Our solicitors have extensive experience in handling contested wills, claims of undue influence, lack of testamentary capacity, and disputes over inheritance.

3. Settling Disputes: We strive to settle disputes efficiently, aiming to achieve outcomes that respect the wishes of the deceased and the interests of the beneficiaries. Our goal is to minimise stress and conflict for all parties involved.

Inheritance Tax Advice

1. Tax Planning Strategies: We provide strategic advice on inheritance tax planning, helping you to understand and utilise various allowances and reliefs. This includes planning lifetime gifts, charitable donations, and the use of trusts.

2. Mitigating Tax Liability: Our goal is to reduce the inheritance tax burden on your estate, ensuring that more of your wealth can be passed on to your beneficiaries. We explore all legal avenues to achieve this, from restructuring your estate to advising on the timing and method of asset transfers.

3. Lifetime Gifts: We advise on making lifetime gifts to family members, explaining the implications of the seven-year rule and how to structure gifts to maximise tax efficiency.

Trust Administration

1. Setting Up Trusts: We assist in setting up various types of trusts, tailored to your specific needs. Trusts can be used for a range of purposes, including protecting assets, providing for minor children, and managing wealth across generations.

2. Ongoing Management: Administering a trust requires careful management and compliance with legal obligations. We provide ongoing support to trustees, ensuring that they fulfil their duties effectively and that the trust is managed in accordance with its terms.

3. Tax Compliance: Trusts have specific tax implications that must be managed carefully. We provide advice on the tax treatment of trusts, ensuring compliance with HMRC requirements, and optimising tax efficiency.

Why Choose DLS Solicitors: Prestwich?

Personalised Service: We recognise that every client’s situation is unique. Our approach is to provide personalised legal advice tailored to your specific needs and circumstances, ensuring that you receive the best possible support.

Expertise and Experience: Our solicitors have extensive experience and specialised knowledge in wills and probate law. We stay abreast of the latest legal developments to provide sound and effective legal solutions.

Compassionate Approach: We understand the emotional nature of wills and probate matters. Our approach is always compassionate and sensitive to the needs of those grieving or planning for the future, providing support and reassurance throughout the legal process.

Transparent Communication: We believe in clear and open communication. Our clients are fully informed at every stage, ensuring transparency and building trust in our legal services.

Contact Us

For trusted will and probate law services in Prestwich, look no further than DLS Solicitors. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can assist with your will and estate planning needs. Call us at 01625 460281 to start planning your legacy with confidence.