Jacqui Butler - Straightforward Planning

05/03/2026

A letter of wishes is a document that provides guidance to your trustees and sits alongside your Will. A letter of wishes is not a legally binding document and therefore there is no legal requirement on the trustees to follow the wishes that are set out.

01/09/2025

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) means that you arrange for someone you trust to act in your place to help you with your Health and Welfare, and/or Property and Finance, when you need it.

It's hard to know when to arrange these important documents. What you should know is that an LPA cannot be used unless it has been registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). This registration usually takes at least two months so it is a good idea to get your LPA in place ready for when you might need it.

The OPG currently charge a standard £82 per LPA for registration (concessions might apply). This charge will increase to £92 per LPA on 17th November. I suspect this may impact lead times further so if you have questions or need any help please get in touch.

An update on the upcoming increase to lasting power of attorney fees.

08/07/2025

Sometimes getting your thoughts together is the hardest part! Talking to someone “neutral” can be a big help. Find out more about how I can help arrange your Will or Lasting Power of Attorney below.

Company: Straightforward Planning Location / Address: 85 Peddars Lane, Stanbridge, Leighton Buzzard LU7 9JD Postcode(s) Covered: HP, LU, MK Everyone knows they should have a Will but it’s seldom a priority, and when life is complicated it may seem just too difficult. I’m Jacqui, and I’m her....

01/07/2025

Helping you get your Will or Lasting Power of Attorney sorted. No fuss or jargon just Straightforward Planning.

Locally based, home visits, friendly and cost effective service.

15/05/2025

If you prepared your Will years ago and tucked it safely away then it's a good idea to dust it off occassionally and check that is still up to date.

Do your adult children still need Guardians? Are your Executors still around? What about any gifts you'd like to make to Grandchildren or Charity that wouldn't have been relevant twenty years ago?

Time passes fast so please make sure wishes for your loved ones haven't been left behind.

17/01/2025

I'm often asked about this "Inheritance Tax Thing" and how married couples manage to double the allowance so to kick off 2025 I thought a little more information would be useful. The article below should help but please let me know if you have a specific question or concern.

Every person has their own nil rate band (NRB). This the amount that can be distributed on their death without inheritance tax being payable.

29/11/2024

You’ve decided now is the time to put documentation in place to protect your estate. Let's take a look at what you should do next.

16/10/2024

With the first budget of the new Government looming large on 30th October there is a lot of rumour about possible changes to Inheritance Tax. At Straightforward Planning I thought it'd be useful to remind ourselves of the current position before any changes are announced.

In its' briefest form everyone has an allowance of £325k. Everything over that amount will be taxed at 40% as Inheritance Tax. There are many allowances that can be used but some Straightforward Planning through your Will can help to mitigate what your estate will pay.

Further details are in the below article from the The Society of Will Writers but get in touch if you want to chat this through.

For the purposes of this article we will look at the IHT charge payable on death which relates to the deceased’s estate.

07/10/2024

Today was the 30th Annual Conference of the Society of Willl Writers; an opportunity to catch up with Fellow Professionals, ensure we are aligned about best practice and discuss how best to help our clients. Here are a few of us from the Beds and Hert Regional Group.

10/09/2024

Some people find the whole "will thing" pretty daunting! Who does what? Where do I start? Too expensive and will it work anyway? Don't need one at the moment! The article below might help answer your questions and, if not, give me a call for a quick chat.

Writing your Will can be a daunting process but it doesn't need to be. Here are some of the questions we are frequently asked and the answers we provide.

02/09/2024

Once you've finally got round to getting your Will in place - what are you going to do with it! Thankfully Straightforward Planning can arrange secure storage with the The Society of Will Writers; that's one less thing to worry about!

On rare occasions, a Will may not be found and you might be wondering what happens, or what to do in those circumstances.