Wills and Probate Solicitors

Our experienced Wills and probate solicitors deal with a full range of issues relating to estate planning, passing on assets to the next generation and the finalisation of affairs after death.

At SMR Solicitors, we can help you ensure that you have the right Will in place to protect your estate and that your finances are dealt with in the most tax-efficient way possible. We can also represent you if you have been given the task of winding up someone’s estate after their death, making sure that issues are dealt with effectively and without delay.

Our Wills and probate team have in-depth experience in dealing with estate, tax and trust law, including complex matters and high net worth estates. Our Wills and probate services include the following:

• Wills and estate planning advice, including Inheritance Tax advice
• Drafting your Will
• Dealing with the execution of your Will
• Obtaining a Grant of Probate or Grant of Letters of Administration
• Represent an estate executor or administrator in dealing with an estate administration
• Arranging for valuation of the deceased’s assets
• Calculation and payment of Inheritance Tax and other debts
• Clearing and selling the deceased’s property and other assets
• Preparation of detailed estate accounts
• Distribution of the deceased’s estate in accordance with their Will or the Rules of Intestacy

We provide a bespoke service and always work proactively to avoid unnecessary delays. We will stay in close touch with you throughout, keeping you updated and making sure we are available to answer any questions you may have.

We represent clients across West Sussex, providing advice and guidance in all aspects of Wills and estate administration. We specialise in dealing with complicated estates and providing personalised tax advice.

We provide flexible funding arrangements to suit your needs, including fixed fees for some work.

For more information about our services, see Wills and Probate.

Speak to our Wills and probate solicitors in West Sussex

To discuss your requirements and find out how we can help, please get in touch to speak to one of our Wills and probate lawyers in Chichester, East Wittering, Selsey or Bognor Regis.

Our Wills and probate services

Wills

Putting the right Will in place means that you can have the peace of mind of knowing that your loved ones will be provided for in the way that you would want when the time comes. As well as ensuring that your assets are distributed according to your wishes, making a Will can also give you the opportunity to legitimately reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax payable by your estate.

Leaving a valid Will can help avoid disputes among relatives in the future and give them the comfort of knowing exactly what you want to happen to your estate.

Probate and estate administration

Dealing with the administration of an estate can be complex and time-consuming. An administrator or executor can be held personally liable for any errors made that cause a loss to the estate, so it is important to understand exactly what needs to be done and in what order.

Our probate and estate administration team can represent you in winding up an estate to ensure that all of the details are attended to, debts cleared and accounts correctly drafted.

Inheritance Tax planning

An Inheritance Tax liability after someone’s death can mean that a substantial part of their estate is paid to HM Revenue & Customs. Our team can advise you on any possible ways of structuring your affairs to legitimately reduce the amount that will be payable.

Trusts

Trusts can be used to protect your assets and ensure that they are used in the way that you wish. By way of example, if you leave your estate to your spouse, then there are no guarantees that it will be passed on to your children in due course, even if this is what you have agreed that you would like to happen.

By leaving your spouse your property in trust for their lifetime, they can live in your shared home and use the capital you have left for as long as they need it, but when the time comes, the share that was yours will be passed to your choice of beneficiaries.

Trusts can also be used as part of a tax planning strategy, and our trusts experts can advise you on the best way to put assets into a trust or set up a trust using your Will.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

By putting a Lasting Power of Attorney in place, you have the peace of mind of knowing that, should you ever become unable to manage your affairs, your attorney can step in on your behalf to deal with matters. With a Lasting Power of Attorney, your loved ones will be unable to help you, and this could cause difficulties. They would need to apply to the Court of Protection to become your deputy, which can be a lengthy process.

Court of Protection

Where a loved one is no longer able to make their own decisions, and an application needs to be made to the Court of Protection to obtain authority to help them, we can assist you in putting a deputy in place. We can also advise you in respect of other related matters such as statutory Wills and trusts.

Elderly client services

We offer a full range of services for elderly clients to ensure your legal rights and interests are observed and that you have the help you need to put arrangements in place to take care of your finances and to provide for your family in the future.

Our Wills and probate solicitors’ fees

We always aim to make our Wills and probate pricing fair and transparent. We will give you a realistic estimate of the likely costs before we start work, including third party expenses such as Probate Registry fees, as well as our costs.

We are always happy to discuss costs with you, so please feel free to contact us to ask any questions you have. For more information, you can also refer to our probate pricing page.

Speak to our Wills and probate solicitors in West Sussex

To discuss your requirements and find out how we can help, please get in touch to speak to one of our Wills and probate lawyers in Chichester, East Wittering, Selsey or Bognor Regis.