Wills, Trusts & Probate Solicitors

What is an Estate?

Your estate includes your property, money, possessions, business interests and providing for any children or dependents, and even pets. You also have to handle inheritance tax, paperwork, and possible court orders when managing an estate.

Challenges related to your estate that can happen while you are alive. For example, you might lose mental capacity. In this case, someone may need to help with medical and financial decisions.

How Can Our Wills, Trusts and Probate Solicitors Help?

Our friendly and compassionate Wills and Probate Solicitors can help you and your family with:

Will writing – we can help draft a legally sound and comprehensive Will that reflects all your wishes for after you are gone. This can include who will be the executor of your estate, who will receive your property, possessions and money.

You can leave instructions for how to care for your children or dependents. You can also say who will take care of your pets. Additionally, you can provide any instructions for your funeral. We can also help amend an existing Will.

Trusts – we can help with the complex process of setting up a trust, including drafting a Trust Will.

Estate Administration – we can assist administrators or executors of an estate with administrative duties. We can also act as the executor of an estate.

Probate – we can assist with the process of applying for the Grant of Representation, which is called probate.

Lasting Power of Attorney – we can help you create and execute powers of attorney. This will let a loved one make decisions for you if you can no longer think clearly.

Court of Protection – if a loved one does not have a power of attorney and loses mental capacity, we can help. We can assist you in applying to the Court of Protection. This allows you to make decisions about their medical treatment and finances.

Inheritance Tax Planning – we can advise on and plan for inheritance tax on your estate. We can help you understand how inheritance tax will impact your estate. We can also show you how to make the most of your inheritance tax allowance.

Planning for Retirement – we can help you review your estate and investments. We will advise you on the best steps for future planning. We can help you with gifts, inheritance tax, trusts, and charitable donations. We also advise on how to protect your assets and can draft a Will for you.

Learn more in Planning for Retirement

Contact us or call us on 0114 2743 481 to discuss your circumstances and how they will affect your Will today.

Will Writing Services

A Will is a written document which decides how a person’s possessions and estate will be distributed when they die. A Will writing solicitor can ensure your Will is valid. They help your family avoid disputes, delays, and extra costs later.

We can store all Wills free of charge for your lifetime.

Learn more on our Will Writing Solicitors.

Single Will

A single Will is the simplest form of a Will for one person. You can make a single Will whether you are single or if you have a partner. With a single Will you can:

• Decide how your possessions, property and money will be split.
• Name who you would like to look after any children or pets you have.
• Provide specific details about the items that you need to pass on.
• Decide who you want to carry out the instructions and terms in your Will (the Executor).
• Name any charitable beneficiaries.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2743 481 to book your appointment today.

Mirror Will

A mirror Will, also called a joint Will, consists of two similar Wills. They are almost the same, except for the names and funeral wishes.

Mirror Wills are often used by married and unmarried couples. They have similar wishes about what to include in their Will.

Learn more on Mirror Wills.

Trust Will

A Trust Will is a legal agreement in your Will. It creates one or more Trusts to manage your assets after you die. This can include leaving money for:

• Healthcare needs.
• Education.
• Gifts.
• Charity donations.

It can also make sure property remains in a family, protecting a family’s heritage.

Learn more on Trust Wills.

Amending a Will

If you have any major life changes, or you haven’t reviewed your Will for 5 years, it’s advised to amend your Will. You will need to make sure that any amendments to your Will does not affect the validity of your Will. A Will Writing Solicitor can help you make amendments to a Will or rewrite a new Will if needed.

Learn more on Amending a Will.

Probate and Estate Administration Services

When someone passes away their estate will need to be distributed based on the instructions left in a Will. The process of applying for a grant of representation is called Probate. It involves handling paperwork and managing the estate.

Need to get in touch with us regarding a loved one who has passed away? A Probate Solicitor can help with the paperwork in the Probate process and other Probate services. They can advise on inheritance tax, find the Will, pay estate debts, and close bank accounts.

Learn more on Estate Administration & Probate.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2743 481 to discuss your circumstances and how they will affect your Will today.

Trusts

A trust allows a person to hold assets on behalf of someone, called a beneficiary, after you pass away.

Trust Wills allow legal agreements to be written into your Will that sets up one or more Trusts to manage your assets after you pass away.

Lasting Power of Attorney

If you lose mental capacity, a Lasting Power of Attorney lets someone make important decisions for you. These include decisions on your health and welfare and/or your financial affairs.

Learn more on Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Court of Protection

The Court of Protection safeguards individuals without capacity from exploitation and maintains their rights. If someone loses mental capacity, and does not have a lasting power of attorney, a loved one will need to apply for a Deputyship Order to The Court of Protection. This will allow them to make medical and financial decisions on their behalf.

Learn more on the Court of Protection.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2743 481 to book your appointment today.

Deputyship Application

A solicitor can help you apply for a Deputyship Order. They can also increase the chances of your application being successful at The Court of Protection.

We can also act as a professional deputy on someone’s behalf.

Learn more on a Deputyship Application.

High Net Worth Estate Planning

High net worth estates are more likely to have extensive assets with a high value. They will likely include money, business interests, investments, property, luxury items, and a lot of inheritance tax.

An Estate Planning Solicitor can help with estate and inheritance tax planning, trusts and wealth management solutions. We can also help with valuing and administrating estates for Probate purposes.

Asset Protection

A lawyer who specialises in estate planning can help you manage your estate. They can protect your property, investments, and money from future risks. We can also help the seamless transfer of financial assets to your loved ones. We can help with:

• Asset protection planning.
• Asset protection advice.
• Protecting assets from care home fees and future marriages.
• Asset protection trusts.
• Protecting business interests.

Planning for Retirement

As you approach retirement you are likely to have built up property and other assets that make up your ‘estate’. A Wills and Probate Solicitor can help plan how you can protect and plan the future of your estate after retirement.

Learn more on Estate Planning Solutions for Retirement.

Executor of an Estate

An Executor is someone you appoint in your Will to carry out your wishes after you die. They will be responsible for all aspects of actioning your Will and administering your estate after you die.

A Wills and Probate Solicitor can help you choose your executor. They can also advise the executor on their duties. Additionally, they can assist in calculating the value of an estate.

Some estates can be complex. This is true for estates with inheritance tax, properties to sell, foreign assets, or investments.

You can appoint a solicitor be the professional executor of your estate.

Learn more on What is an Executor of a Will?

Contact us or call us on 0114 2743 481 to book your appointment today.

Estate Planning for Business Owners

If you own a business or have shares in a business, we can help you create a succession plan. A business succession plan helps you prepare for a smooth change in ownership and management. It also protects your business interests.

Wills, Trusts & Probate Fees

Our Wills and Probate Solicitor provide the highest quality advice on all aspects of Wills, Trusts and Probate while offering value for money. Many of the services we provide are offered as a fixed fee. Find a full list of Wills, Trusts & probate fees here.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2743 481 to book your appointment today.

Wills, Trust & Probate Frequently Asked Questions

How long does probate take with a Will?

Probate can range from a few months to over two years. The length of time will depend on various factors which can complicate the process. However, generally, having a Will or not won’t affect the length of time Probate will take.

What is the difference between a Will and a Trust?

A Will and a Trust have some similarities, but they also have key differences. It’s important to know which one is right for you.

One difference is when they take effect. A Will does not take effect until you pass away. In contrast, a Trust is effective as soon as you sign and fund it.

A Will lets you name guardians for your children. It also allows you to decide where your assets go and specify your final arrangements. A Trust involves slightly more complexity and provides greater control over when and how you distribute your assets.

What is Probate?

Probate is the process of applying for permission to administer a will when someone has passed away. This means you will be responsible for dealing with their property, money, possessions, and their estate.

Do you need probate if there is a Will?

The need for probate doesn’t depend on whether there’s a Will or not. If the estate is small, with no property and less than £5,000 in the bank, probate isn’t likely to be needed.

Do I need a Will?

We strongly recommend making a Will and this means you will be able to get a say on who administers your estate when you pass away. Particularly if you are cohabiting, have a second family, business assets or a taxable estate, Will planning is essential.  Read our Making a Will – What you need to know guide.

Is Probate needed for a Trust?

When a trust is set up correctly, you will have named someone the beneficiary of the trust and this person will automatically become the owner of the assets. Therefore, there is no need to go through probate.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2743 481 to book your appointment today.

Solicitors for Wills and Probate

The Howells Wills, Trusts, and Probate team is well-respected in South Yorkshire. They have extensive experience in Wills and Lasting Power of Attorneys. They also have experience with Inheritance Tax, Deputyship Orders, and Probate services, and other legal services.

They passionately assist people in taking control of their affairs and ensure that they uphold rights and wishes. The team will make you feel comfortable right away. Their professionalism and attention to detail will leave you relaxed and confident.

We can meet with you personally in the comfort of our offices in Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley. If you are physically unable to attend any of our offices, a home visit can be arranged.

The team consists of Kerry Green, Lindsey Rawson, Louise Tissington and Melodie Shelton-Heath. The team is supervised by Lindsey Rawson.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2743 481 to book your appointment today.