Wrigleys Solicitors

Wills

Wills tend to underpin any tax planning exercise, and for many clients correctly drawn Wills and accompanying arrangements, perhaps involving life assurance, will take care of most inheritance tax problems. In particular, Wills can maximise the benefits of spouse exemption, tax efficient handling of the matrimonial home, assets outside the jurisdiction, and property qualifying for business, agricultural and heritage reliefs.

For these reasons we can often suggest different ways of achieving intentions which achieve better results than a more obvious approach. So, apart from maximising tax advantages, we aim to address the following problem areas:

• suitability of provision for surviving spouses, including the need for assistance and/or control, and protection in case of disability


• co-ordination of pensions/death benefits in the most effective manner


• minimising the risk of disagreement between beneficiaries or claims against the estate


• providing, so far as possible, for foreseeable needs such as guardianship, education and housing


• protection of family members and their assets from third party claims, such as professional liability or divorce


• providing the best possible framework for future tax planning and asset protection in the next generation and beyond


• assisting parents of vulnerable children, for example those with learning difficulties, in structuring their Wills in the most appropriate way to safeguard their children's future

Increasingly, Wills have to take account of foreign elements - sometimes just an off-shore bank account or holiday home, but often more; and frequently there is the complication of family members resident abroad, or married to non-domiciliaries. We regularly work with lawyers in other jurisdictions to ensure that these issues are correctly covered.

Main contacts

• Matthew Wrigley
• Julia Boyes
• Lynne Bradey
• Ann Duchart
• Peter Greswold