Sheila Glyn-Owen , partner and wills and probate specialist. for about Wills. Call Sheila Glyn-Owen on 01256 854637 or email Sheila here.
Our clients come from all walks of life and each has the personal attention of one of the private client team - someone on whom clients can depend and trust to give them expert advice, no matter how sensitive the problem may be.
Kestrel Radio interview, Jan08 - Shirah Real advises on how to cope with a bereavement over the festive period. Read here
Our private client services include:
Inheritance Tax
Confused about the changes to inheritance tax made by the Chancellor in October 2007? Find the answers in our useful Q&A here
Please visit these pages for our other private client services:
I transferred to Phillips from my London solicitor on the advice of a friend and I'm very glad I did”
Mr Wilkerson, Basingstoke
Clients often ask what they should bring to their first meeting with us. We want to reassure you that the most important thing is to bring yourselves and not to worry. However, we do need to gather quite a lot of information about your case and so it can be helpful if you come armed with some essential information – then we can make sure that the time we spend together is most productive for you. Click here to see what sort of information you'll need to bring to our first meeting.
Powers of Attorney
Read Shirah Real's Legal Brief here for an update on the new Lasting Powers of Attorney, October 2007.
Whether single, married or a parent, we all have a responsibility to manage our day-to-day affairs. But not everyone is good at keeping complete control of their affairs, especially when it comes to making a Will.
Wills are a key element in estate planning and yet the Law Society reports that two out of three people have not made a Will. Without one, you are unable to control what happens to your assets after death and you may leave your dependants with numerous problems, including an unmanageable tax burden.
Without a Will, the law determines how your estate will be distributed, so your family, friends and favourite charities may not receive what they need or expect. We can help you to make the correct provisions and ensure that your wishes are carried out:
Thank you so much for your professionalism, warmth and friendliness in dealing with the Grant of Probate. All these qualities smoothed the path to what has been, understandably a difficult time.”
Mrs A, Basingstoke
This service involves dealing with your affairs after death. The ‘estate’ is your property and any other assets you have. Our probate specialists handle the winding up of your estate with great sensitivity and understanding, and help your family and friends through what can be a very confusing and upsetting time.
Administration involves:
We may be able to minimise the tax liabilities on the estate of the deceased and those of the beneficiaries by careful tax planning. This may involve Deeds of Variation or Family Arrangement.
On occasions there may be disputes between beneficiaries, executors or those who want to make a claim against an estate - we can advise in these circumstances.
We can’t thank you enough for the help and concern shown to me and my family at this difficult time, and for making the process as simple as possible for us”
Mr Anthony Dunning from Basingstoke
Managing your affairs in later life can become more difficult and it is wise to nominate someone whom you trust to look after your affairs, should the time come when you become mentally or physically incapacitated.
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), which replaces the Enduring Power of Attorney, enables you to choose who you would like to manage your property, financial and general affairs should you become unable to manage them yourself, and gives that person the measure of power that you define. Your choice of Attorney can be altered at any time, but comes into play either when you choose or when your mental health declines (subject to certain safeguards imposed by the Court of Protection). The new LPAs can extend beyond dealing with your financial affairs to personal welfare matters and decisions, if you so wish. You will also be able to place restrictions on what exactly your Attorney can deal with, such as property or restricting medical decisions. But probably the most significant change is the requirement that LPAs must be registered with the Court of Protection before your Attorneys can act and this may take up to 5 weeks. Your Attorneys will have the power to decide on issues such as where you will live, your care and medical treatment. They may also give or refuse consent to the carrying out or continuation of medical treatment, according to your wishes, although they cannot act if you are still capable of making those decisions for yourself.
We can advise you on:
Living Wills, also known as Advance Directives, are usually concerned with medical discretion and they give you the freedom to define medical care issues that you feel strongly about. This means that in the unfortunate event of terminal illness, where you might be incapable of communicating your wishes, your Living Will would be able to state your preferences in cases such as turning the life support machine off.
Living Wills are subject to much debate, as a patient’s wishes sometimes conflict with those of the medical profession. We can advise you about the latest legal situations.
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