Welcome to Yorkshire Wills & Probate Company a Member company of Right Way & Associates Ltd
We are based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire and offer 'Fixed Fee Services' wherever possible
Instructions can be given either daytime or evening from the privacy of your own home with a legally trained
Estate Planning Consultant or by Telephone. Home visits apply only to clients living within 30 miles of our Barnsley office
Success from experience: We provide expert estate planning advice. Our expertise and the experience that comes from being an established local firm guarantee a range of professional, friendly services tailored to meet your needs.
Success from experience: We provide expert estate planning advice. Our expertise and the experience that comes from being an established local firm guarantee a range of professional, friendly services tailored to meet your need. We cover most areas of England via Telephone & Email but offer face to face appointment within thirty mile radius of head office in Barnsley, as far as Newcastle upon Tyne, London and surrounding areas, all Yorkshire, Manchester, Derbyshire, Hull, Middleborough, Durham.
We are dedicated to providing our clients with a straightforward, friendly and no-fuss Wills and estate planning service. We want our customers to be assured that their affairs are being handled with care, and our priority is to ensure you have the peace of mind that your loved ones are provided for. With careful planning we can help you decide which Will and other estate planning services are best for you, and always advise in your best interests, and offer professional advice in areas such as inheritance tax planning and Trusts. Our friendly team will tailor advice to your specific circumstances, and always treat our clients in the utmost confidence, with sensitivity and compassion. Our many years of experience mean we fully understand it can be difficult to discuss private matters, and we aim to put your mind at ease.
Turn to us, for assistance in creating a legal document that allows you to appoint an attorney who will make decisions on your behalf when necessary. The Health and Welfare Attorney will assist you with your daily routine and medical care. A Property and Financial Affairs Attorney is there to help you in paying your bills, collecting benefits and even selling your home should you choose to. If you do not have a lasting power of attorney and are unable to manage your property and financial affairs due to confinement or mental incapacitation, the Court of Protection will do it on your behalf. A relative or person close to you is required to apply this in the court, which can take up to twelve months and costs more £ 1,000 to process.
You do not have to use a solicitor. Changes to the law now means that people have the choice and more options to use specialised services rather than solicitor. If there are assets owned in a sole name over £ 5,000 than Probate can be requested. We will offer you free legal advice and a free appointment. You will only pay fixed fee, no hourly charges. We will not charge you upfront fees. If you require your will to be completed quicker, we will offer you very fast turnaround within 24 hours. If you require to change content of your will and wording or amend it, we will do it for you. This may be the time to start putting plans in place to ensure that your family have access to free legal support and provided with a service that will make their lives easier while they come to terms with the loss of a loved one.
What are the benefits of writing a Will?
The Benefits Of Making A Will
Making a Will gives you the opportunity of ordering your affairs for after your death. We all have a natural reluctance to contemplate our own death, but it is the one thing in life that is guaranteed. If you don’t leave a Will then the law will step in and a rigid set of rules, known as the Intestacy Rules, will dictate what happens to your property and your money.
By making a Will you can control how your property and affairs will be dealt with. It will ensure that your wishes are properly taken into consideration and it will make life much easier for those you leave behind.
There are lots of good practical reasons to make a Will. Here are 10 of the best:-
1. Providing financial security for loved ones;
2. Making gifts of possessions and money;
3. Paying less inheritance tax;
4. Appointing guardians for your children;
5. Choosing your executors;
6. Avoiding inheritance disputes;
7. Creating a life interest;
8. Specifying wishes for your funeral;
9. Making arrangements for your pets;
10. Avoiding the unintended consequences of intestacy.
1. Providing financial security for loved ones
A Will is the most effective way of ensuring that those closest to you are adequately provided for after you have gone. It gives important peace of mind not only to you but also your nearest and dearest who will know that steps have been taken to provide them with the financial security they will require.
This is particularly important for unmarried couples as their relationship will not be recognized by the Intestacy Rules which apply when someone dies without leaving a valid Will. Co-habitees do not have any rights in their deceased partner’s estate under the Intestacy Rules, so if their interests are not protected by a Will they could be left facing severe financial hardship.
It is also important if you have competing interests between a spouse or co-habitee on the one hand and children from a previous relationship on the other. By making a Will you can ensure that you provide for all the people you care about.
2. Making gifts of possessions and money
If you own family heirlooms, items of sentimental value, antique furniture, valuable jewellery or precious works of art you may want to make sure that they go to a particular member of the family or a valued friend who will appreciate and enjoy them.
Giving instructions in a Will is the obvious way to do this. Usually the gift will be a “specific bequest” but gifts of this kind can be dealt with by way of a list of instructions written by you.
A Will is also a perfect vehicle for making a gift of money. Making a Will is a good time to acknowledge your closest friends and family or remember your favourite good cause with a legacy.
3. Paying less inheritance tax
When advising you about making a Will we shall collect sufficient information to find out whether inheritance tax is likely to be paid upon your death.
Careful Will drafting with the help of a specialist solicitor can have a significant impact upon the level of inheritance tax which will be paid. It provides an opportunity to assess the position and consider what steps can be taken to minimise the inheritance tax liability. The small cost of making a Will can represent excellent value when compared to the tax savings that can be made.
4. Appointing guardians for your children
This is particularly important if you have young children and want to provide appropriate care for them after your death. It is, of course, advisable to consult the prospective guardians to make sure that they are willing to act before naming them.
5. Choosing your executors
A Will enables you to decide who will be responsible for administering your affairs after your death and who will be responsible for making sure your wishes are carried out.
This means that you get to choose people who you know will be suitable and who are likely to best represent your wishes.
Executors are responsible for administering the estate, including the distribution of personal effects and the contents of the house. It is of vital importance that the right people are chosen. If you do not make a Will then the law will choose for you.
If you have no suitable family or friends to act as your executors, or if you think it might be useful to appoint someone from outside the family (to avoid the possibility of arguments) then you can appoint a solicitor to act as executor. The partners of Yorkshire Wills & Probate Company are regularly appointed as executors, acting either on their own, as sole executors or in combination with friends or family as co-executors.
6. Avoiding inheritance disputes
A full and proper consideration of how your dependents are going to be provided for after your death is essential if you wish to avoid an unpleasant (and costly) inheritance dispute arising once you have gone.
Whilst in England and Wales we have testamentary freedom, the law does enable certain categories of applicants to make a claim against an estate if the deceased failed to make reasonable financial provision for them. This includes children, spouses and co-habitees. If reasonable financial provision is not made a dependent can challenge the distribution of the estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. Claims under the 1975 Act can be made whether or not there is a Will. However, a Will does enable the testator to record their wishes and offer an explanation for how the estate is to be divided. This can be taken into consideration if the Will is contested and it could even prevent a challenge altogether.
7. Creating a life interest
Life Interests in property and capital have been used in Wills and estate planning for generations.
A Life Interest entitles the recipient to enjoy the use of the property or the income that the capital generates during their lifetime, and upon their death the asset will then pass to the beneficiary of your choosing.
Life Interests are increasingly popular among people who have remarried. If you are in a second marriage, chances are that you will have children from the first who may not be happy with the idea of everything being left to your new partner. A Life Interest (particularly in the matrimonial home) is often a convenient way to provide a roof over the head of your spouse or partner and still protect the children’s inheritance in the long term, keeping everybody happy!
8. Specifying wishes for your funeral
You might want to go out to the melodious strains of Vivaldi. Or perhaps you would prefer a bit of Elvis, The Beatles or The Clash. Whatever your preference, making a Will enables you to leave instructions on your final farewell. Whether it’s a quiet wake or a good old fashioned knees up at The Red Lion, this is your chance to have a say on your send off. And if you have any special wishes about your burial or cremation then this is the place to do it. You can even specify in your Will that you want to donate your body to medical research.
9. Making arrangements for your pets
You may be concerned about who will look after your pets after you have gone. One solution is to nominate someone in your Will who you can trust to make sensible decisions for your animals. You may wish to consider a modest legacy to help cover the extra costs involved in caring for the animal and meeting food and vets bills.
10. Avoiding the unintended consequences of intestacy
If you die without leaving a Will, your estate will be distributed in accordance with a rigid set of rules known as the “Intestacy Rules”. The Intestacy Rules dictate how a deceased’s property and money will be divided. In some situations, this will broadly reflect the deceased’s general intentions. However, in certain circumstances, the rules will produce an outcome that is at odds with what the deceased would have wanted and can lead to dependants suffering unintended hardship or family disputes arising.
When having a Will prepared, you may also wish to consider executing a Power of Attorney.
Turn to us, for assistance in creating a legal document that allows you to appoint an attorney who will make decisions on your behalf, when necessary.
Choosing a Power of Attorney
You have the option to appoint more than one attorney, as long as it is a person whom you trust. After all, you are granting them the rights to make decisions for you.
Choose from two types of attorneys. The Health and Welfare Attorney will assist you with your daily routine and medical care. A Property and Financial Affairs Attorney is there to help you in paying your bills, collecting your benefits and even selling your home should you choose to.
Rules and Regulations
When appointing an attorney, he or she must be over 18 years old and is able to make decisions. He or she should make decisions that you agree with and should also respect your wishes and demands. You cannot appoint someone who is currently bankrupt or subject to a debt relief order.
Unable to Make a Lasting Power of Attorney
If you do not have a lasting power of attorney and are unable to manage your property and financial affairs due to confinement or mental incapacitation, the Court of Protection will do it on your behalf. A relative or a person close to you is required to apply in this court, which can take up to 12 months and costs more £1,000 to process.
In addition, the person authorised to handle your affairs on your behalf is not only unlikely to be who you would have chosen but may even be a court official. You will be charged every time he or she acts for you. This process also applies to health and welfare decisions, where someone should apply in the Court of Authorisation.
Contact us today for a free consultation in the comfort of your own home.
Probate & Estate Administration Services
You don’t have to appoint a professional to deal with Probate and Estate Administration, you can do it yourself.
However rising costs, time and risks are influencing people’s actions to seek professional assistance
You don’t have to use a Solicitor.
Changes to the law now means that people have the choice and more options to use specialized services rather than a solicitor.
Having a will does not determine whether or not you need Probate.
If there are assets owned in a sole name over £5,000 then Probate can be requested
What Does This Mean For You……
That you now have another option when you need help following a bereavement
Access to free legal advice and a free appointment if requested
Transparent fixed fee pricing - no hourly rates or percentage based fees.
Specialized service so that the estate is administered efficiently and assets distributed quicker
No upfront costs or legal liability to the Executors or next of kin
All initial consultation and communication is with us so you don’t have to speak to any strangers.
Hopefully, it will be some time before you need to discuss Probate and Estate Administration however we are always here for you if you want more information or just an informal chat on how we can help you for when that unfortunate moment arrives.
You have already made the right decision to ensure that you have put plans in place to ensure that your last wishes are legally documented. This may be the time to start putting plans in place to ensure that your family have access to free legal support and provided with a service that will make their lives easier while they come to terms with the loss of a loved one.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you want to know more about how we can help you, your families and friends.
Contact Us
Get in touch with us today, when you need qualified and knowledgeable professionals to draft a Will or Power of attorney for you and your family. Contact us via phone or email for inquiries. You can also fill out the form provided for any feedback or questions.
Contact Us:
Yorkshire Wills & Probate Company
Innovation Way,
Barnsley, South Yorkshire
S75 1JL
Phone: 01226 446196
Email: [email protected]
Business Hours
Monday to Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Our Services
Many of us find it difficult and expensive to visit a solicitor – and it often takes several appointments which usually have to be during the working week. We can arrange to discuss your needs at a time convenient for you.
Yorkshire Wills & Probate Company offers a select range of services, each tailor-made to every person that we consult with. If you are interested in any of our services below please call us or e-mail us and our consultants will be more than happy to talk to you about our services.
KEY SERVICES
CONVEYANCING
We will help you to transfer legal title of real property from one person to another.
FUNERAL PLANS
It is a difficult decision to make, simply because it is not always easy to think about planning your own funeral. There are many reasons why a pre-paid funeral plan could be right for you:
Stating your funeral wishes in your will is not binding upon your executors often. People just do not know what their deceased relative or friend wanted.
A funeral plan guarantees that your wishes will be carried out and that the funeral director’s services will be paid for at no extra cost to your family.
At a time of sadness, you will have relieved your family of financial and emotional burdens.
Those you leave behind will remember your thoughtfulness.
Savings in a bank or building society or insurance is just a sum of money. Your executors are not obliged to spend it on your funeral, and there may not be enough.
The price of a funeral plan is in line with the cost of a funeral purchased today. Funeral costs, like everything else, will almost certainly continue to rise in the future.
TRUSTS
With careful planning we can help you decide which Will and other estate planning services are best for you, and always advise in your best interests, and offer professional advice in areas such as inheritance tax planning and Trusts.
WILLS & TENANTS IN COMMON
We will change ownership of home from joint tenants to tenants in common.
DISABLED DISCRETIONARY TRUSTS
We provide protection for a disabled person/child whom is unable to care for themselves.
INHERITANCE TAX PLANNING FOR COHABITEES
We plan your inheritance affairs.
LIVING WILLS
We provide you to express your wishes to refuse medical treatment in the future.
WILLS SECURE STORAGE FACILITY
You have made the sensible decision to make a Will. This document is vitally important in enabling you to leave clear instructions on how your estate is to be distributed, as well as explaining any specific wishes that you may want to followed once you have passed away.
The importance of the decisions that you have made means that you need to ensure that your Will is kept safe and secure. If anything happens to your Will or if your executor doesn’t know where to find it, you may as well not have written one.
The original Last Will and Testament is the only document that will be legally accepted and it must be in pristine condition to ensure that there are no complications when following the wishes set out in it. Therefore, it is vital that your documents and are stored appropriately so that it meets the specific requirements of the Probate Courts when it is presented by your executor(s).
FOUNDATION WILL
We prepare basic Will for you including managing your estate and funeral wishes.
LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY
Choosing a Power of Attorney
You have the option to appoint more than one attorney, as long as it is a person whom you trust. After all, you are granting them the rights to make decisions for you.
Choose from two types of attorneys. The Health and Welfare Attorney will assist you with your daily routine and medical care. A Property and Financial Affairs Attorney is there to help you in paying your bills, collecting your benefits and even selling your home should you choose to.
Rules and Regulations
When appointing an attorney, he or she must be over 18 years old and is able to make decisions. He or she should make decisions that you agree with and should also respect your wishes and demands. You cannot appoint someone who is currently bankrupt or subject to a debt relief order.
MIRROR WILLS
Mirror will involves same type of decisions as taken in Single Will but suitable for spouses, civil partners or co-habitees.
WILL
Making a Will gives you the opportunity of ordering your affairs for after your death. We all have a natural reluctance to contemplate our own death, but it is the one thing in life that is guaranteed. If you don’t leave a Will then the law will step in and a rigid set of rules, known as the Intestacy Rules, will dictate what happens to your property and your money.
DISABLED BENEFICIARY TRUSTS
Recommended in order to provide protection for a disabled person/child whom is unable to care for themselves. It provides long term financial security without reducing their entitlement to any benefits or local authority funding.
MIRROR WILL
Involves same type of decisions as taken in Single Will but suitable for spouses, civil partners and co-habitees.
PROTECTIVE PROPERTY TRUSTS WILL
Can offer protection for the family home following remarriage, divorce, bankruptcy or long-term care home fees. Includes a life interest for a surviving spouse/partner.
SINGLE WILL
Suitable for individuals who merely want to ensure their assets pass to beneficiaries of their choice.
HEALTH AND WELFARE LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY
NOTICE OF SEVERANCE
Changes ownership of home from joint tenants to tenants in common.
REGISTRATION FEE PER LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY
LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY UNREGISTERED PROPERTY AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS
Property and Financial & Healt.
PROPERTY AND FINANCIAL & HEALTH & WELFARE LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY (WHEN MADE TOGETHER)
Please note fees above do not include The Office of Public Guardian fee if applicable
RIGHT TO OCCUPY
Creation of a Trust to allow a Testator to include a right to occupy in their property for an individual.
TESTIMONIALS
What our customers are saying
The service was absolutely fantastic. We wanted to update our Wills in the New Year and saw the deal you offered online. It reminded us this was something we wanted to do and so we went for it. The consultant was very good; he listened to our wishes and answered all of our questions.
Mr Davis from York
Testimonials
Everyone I spoke to was friendly and professional. Exceptionally high level of service. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend.
- Mrs. Smith, Manchester-
Such a professional, helpful and reliable service, I was so grateful for the care and attention offered. They would phone me to ask if I needed further assistance in writing my Will, and in my opinion, went way beyond exceptional. Thank you, Julie, from Yorkshire Wills & Probate Company.
- Mr. Jones, Hull
A no-problem transaction (requirements were relatively straightforward)Very prompt service.
-Miss Brown, Barnsley-
I was completely satisfied with every aspect of the service. I would certainly recommend your service.
-Mrs & MrJackson, Wakefield-
I have tried to write a Will before but I had problem after problem with the previous company not delivering on their promises. I have now been very lucky to come across Yorkshire Wills & Probate Company. They are a reliable, honest company and the service they provide is excellent and really helpful. I would not hesitate to recommend
-Mr & Mrs Lee, Sheffield-
Protect Your Loved Ones
Wills for Your Children
Secure the welfare of your children with help from Yorkshire Wills & Probate Company. By having a Will, you can appoint a guardian to look after your sons or daughters should you pass away. With our help, you can have a Will that details everything you require. Please call us that we can help you write your Will.
Prevent Financial Stress for Your Partner
If you were to pass away without a will, your partner could face financial stresses at an already difficult time. This is especially true for unmarried couples, who are not entitled to inherit each other’s possessions under the law. When you have a will, your partner can receive the inheritance from you.
Secure Your Inheritance
When it comes to your assets, you alone should decide where they go. It is important to have a will, so you can secure your valuable possessions even when you have passed. All the things you have worked for won’t go to waste because your family and friends will inherit them in the future.
Four reasons why you need a will
1. A will makes it much easier for your family or friends to sort everything out when you die – without a will the process can be more time consuming and stressful.
2. If you don’t write a will, everything you own will be shared out in a standard way defined by the law – which isn’t always the way you might want.
3. A will can help reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax that might be payable on the value of the property and money you leave behind.
4. Writing a will is especially important if you have children or other family who depend on you financially, or if you want to leave something to people outside your immediate family.
