Why Thomson Hayton Winkley?

According to research, over 2/3 of the adult population have not made a Will. It is worth remembering that if you do not have a Will, after your death the distribution of your estate may not be as you had hoped.

If you die without leaving a Will it is the Intestacy Rules that determine who inherits your estate and who will be in charge. If you are married with children, and you have assets in your sole name worth more than £270,000, the value of your estate over this figure will be shared between your children and your spouse.  This may not be what you intended.  If you are not married to, or not in a civil partnership with your partner, they will not inherit under the Intestacy Rules.

Some people make their own Wills (“homemade Wills, DIY Wills”) and these are often found to be partially or completely invalid. Even if you think you only need a simple Will, we will ensure that everything is taken into account, to try and avoid expensive problems in the future.

As part of making a Will with Thomson Hayton Winkley, our solicitors will advise you how about Inheritance Tax and how to mitigate any liability for your estate through sensible drafting of your Will.  We will advise you how to deal with the division of your estate if you have children from earlier marriages, and your spouse/partner has their own children.

By considering the bigger picture, our solicitors can help to to avoid problems which could cause distress for your family after your day. If your proposed Will or Codicil is in any way contentious, then a Letter of Wishes can be drafted for you.  This is a document which sits alongside your Will explaining the rationale behind your choices.  And, if you are thinking of disinheriting someone who might otherwise expect to benefit from your Will, your solicitor can advise you how to take preventative steps to ward off a challenge.