‘Will week’ at Midsomer Norton shop

Shoppers in Midsomer Norton are being offered an extra bargain at their local Barnardo’s shop next week.
They can have a new Will written free of charge as part of a new fundraising scheme organised by the children’s charity.
Barnardo’s Will Week is an exclusive partnership with local firm QualitySolicitors FDC Law who will be offering free and impartial advice.
A representative will be at shop in The Hollies, High Street, from Monday to Friday, October 1-5, from 1-2pm.

Barnardo’s hopes the free service will encourage supporters to remember the charity in their Will, but there is no obligation to do so.

Barnardo’s shop manager Angie Cruickshank said: “Almost half of the charity’s income from the general public is donated through Wills, and the money raised is vital to continue our work with vulnerable children.
“The scheme aims to make more people aware of the benefits of writing and – after provision is made for loved ones – to consider remembering Barnardo’s as well.”

Angie added: “We always welcome donations of good-quality clothes, books, toys and games, as well as offers of help from potential volunteers, so we hope this new scheme will encourage even more people to visit us.“Working together, we can help disadvantaged children to turn their life around.”

For further information on Barnardo’s Will Week, visit www.barnardos.org.uk/freewill or call 0208 498 7880. The free will-writing service is available to people aged 55 or older.

To volunteer at the Midsomer Norton shop, call (01761) 411541.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) are used everyday to help people with their finances. You can choose someone you trust, who can then be given the power to sort things out for you like collecting your pension, arranging to pay the bills and arranging for your care.

LPAs are particularly useful should you suffer a sudden or progressive illness which limits your mental capacity to make decisions, such as dementia or a stroke.

If you think that this article does not apply to you, think again. Here are some facts that may change your mind:-

1. Over 800,000 people in the UK currently have dementia
2. By 2021 over a million people will become sufferers of this illness.
3. Approximately 11,000 people each year suffer severe brain injury
4. There are currently 10 million people in the UK living with a neurological condition which has a significant impact on their lives
5. Each year 600,000 people are diagnosed with a neurological condition 

It is also a sad fact that Elder Abuse is becoming increasingly common. This sort of abuse can be physical, psychological or financial. An LPA is one of the best ways to protect against financial abuse.  You can appoint separate Attorneys to manage your financial affairs, from your welfare and healthcare decisions.

Why not contact us for further information and advice?

Will Aid

Will Aid is a fundraising campaign run by nine leading UK charities which takes place in November each year.  The campaign encourages people to have their Will written professionally, whilst at the same time donating to the charities involved.

During November, participating solicitors write basic Wills for clients. Instead of charging their usual fees, solicitors invite clients to donate to "Will Aid." 

The total sum raised during November 2011 was £2.1m in donations.   FDC Law Midsomer Norton office made a small contribution by raising £3,105.

FDC saw approximately 30 "appointments" – some were single people, but most were couples and, although obviously some people did see it as a way of getting a cheap will, most clients were also very appreciative of the fact that the firm was giving my time for free in order to raise money for charity.   

It was surprising the distances people travelled to our office to use this service rather than their local solicitors – from Bath, Bradford on Avon and Salisbury.

QualitySolicitors - For Whatever Life Brings TV ad

What is Probate Law?

Probate, or a Grant of Probate, is a document issued by the Court on production of the deceased person's original Will and an Oath sworn by the executors appointed by the Will. If there is no will, the equivalent document is called "Letters of Administration".

The Grant of Probate is the document which allows the executors access to deal with the assets of the deceased’s estate.  This includes enabling them to collect in monies from bank accounts, make claims on life insurance policies and transfer or sell properties belonging to a deceased person.

IS PROBATE NECESSARY?

If the deceased owned a house or land then a grant of probate is always required.   In other cases, most financial institutions want to see the grant of probate if the value of the asset is over £15,000; although each institution sets their own limit and some are lower than £15,000.

It is possible for an executor to deal with the application for grant of probate in person themselves without the assistance of a solicitor. However, it can be time consuming and sometimes confusing, with a lot of paperwork to deal with at a time when you may not feel up to it.    For this reason many executors choose to instruct a solicitor to act on their behalf.  

At FDC Law we work together with our executor clients in a completely flexible manner.  We initially arrange a without obligation meeting to discuss the extent of the deceased person’s estate.  We discuss whether or not the executors require any assistance and if so the extent of the assistance they require. Some clients ask us just to obtain the Grant of Probate for them, whilst others ask us to take on the whole administration process which would include valuing the assets, obtaining Grant of Probate, paying any legacies and liabilities, preparing a full estate account for the executors' approval and then carrying out the distribution of the estate based upon the terms of the Will with the executors authority.

To arrange a no obligation meeting, please contact a member of the Private Client Team on 01761 409423/409450 (Midsomer Norton) or 01373 475610 (Frome)  0117 916 1088 (Keynsham)

Lexcel accreditation ensures quality of service

FDC Law Solicitors are very pleased to confirm that they have passed their Lexcel audit for the 5th year running.    Senior Partner James Hollis says "We are delighted with the quality of service we can continue to provide our clients. Our Offices at Midsomer Norton, Frome and Keynsham all hold the Lexcel Quality Standard.

Lexcel means that all of our clients receive a comprehensive cost estimate at the start of their transaction and costs updates at least every six months thereby ensuring that no unexpected bills are received. We also commit to returning telephone calls and replying to correspondence in a timely manner so as to ensure that all transactions are progressed quickly and efficiently. This standard of service is only guaranteed by solicitors who hold the Lexcel Quality Standard".

The Law Society says "The Lexcel Practice Management Standard is only awarded to solicitors who meet the highest management and customer care standards and only 7% of firms nationwide have achieved the required standard. Lexcel accredited practices undergo rigorous independent assessment every year to ensure they meet required standards of excellence in areas such as client care, case management and risk management".

Head of Conveyancing and Partner Jonathan Wood says "Lexcel is just one of the awards and quality marks the firm holds. In August 2011 the firm was delighted to be one of the first to be awarded the Conveyancing Quality Mark which ensures all our clients receive the very best service possible, particularly as the Quality Mark was only introduced in January 2011".

The Law Society says "All accredited firms should be congratulated for their achievement. The application process is thorough and all those firms who achieve the Conveyancing Quality Mark Status have shown that they have what it takes to achieve and maintain high professional standards as well as delivering excellent customer service".

Senior Partner James Hollis comments "Our staff have worked very hard to achieve these Quality Standards. We pride ourselves on the level of service we provide to our clients.  In the current market with competition from online service providers and supermarkets, these Quality Standards set us apart from the faceless approach of our competitors. We will continue to meet our clients face to face, whenever and wherever they need us.  This is the service that clients of FDC Law enjoy everyday".

Why Should I Write A Will?

Last month, saw National Write A Will week, an event aimed at promoting wills and highlighting the importance of ensuring that when an individual dies, they have a clear will which sets out how they would like their assets to be dealt with.

Statistics show that about 30 million people in Britain still don’t have a will – about 70% of the adult population according to Unbiased.co.uk, a Financial Advisor’s website.

So why is it so important to have a will? 

There are a number of reasons and, perhaps, one of the most obvious, is that at a time when your relatives and dependants are grieving, having a will makes life easier for them.

If an individual dies without a valid will, their assets will be distributed according to the law and not according to the deceased’s wishes. Two high profile cases which highlight this issue are those of Jill Dando and Stig Larsson, the author of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Both died without leaving a will and their estates were therefore inherited by their fathers and not by their partners.  Of course, this may have been their wish but the advantage of a will is that it would have been quite clear what  their wishes had been.

If you are married with children, one might assume that all the deceased’s assets would go to their spouse on death.  However, it is worth noting that, in England and Wales, if the estate is worth more than £250,000 the spouse would only get the first £250,000 and a life interest in half of the remaining estate, which means that they will not be able to dispose of it or spend it but they are entitled to the interest.  The remainder of the estate would go to the children.  However, if the estate is worth less than £250,000 the children would get nothing.

Even more startling is that, if you are not in a civil partnership or married, your partner will not inherit at all under the intestacy rules.   Following a similar theme, if you have separated but not divorced, your ex-partner will inherit the first £250,000 of your estate under the law.  If you do not have children or are single, various family members can take their share of the estate and, if no-one claims it, then the Government takes everything.

Tax planning is the other important issue.  Inheritance Tax is currently 40% but it is known as the “voluntary tax” because, in reality, it is often possible to get out of having to pay it with proper planning.  Anyone who dies with total assets of more than £325,000 could leave their family with a tax liability but if you leave your assets to your spouse or civil partner, no tax is payable.  Also if you want to avoid tax and leave money to your children, legal advice can be sought about setting up a Discretionary Trust.

When the overall costs of making a will are taken into account - relative to the assets that it will deal with - it remains a puzzle as to why more people do not make wills.  November is Will Aid month when more than 1,000 solicitors across the country, including FDC Law, will draft wills in exchange for a charitable donation.  Will Aid is another example of promotions which take place to try and highlight this issue to the wider population.

At a more local level, FDC Law, are continuing to help people understand the issues at hand and, most recently, Darrell Collins, partner with FDC Law, attended a “Goodwill Event” at St. Francis’ Church in Keynsham, where she spoke to an audience about the issues involved in drawing up a will.

If you want to find out more about making a will, please contact any of our offices or submit a request for further information using the “contact us” page on our website