Raven Stowe

19/05/2025

30/04/2025

Having a Will is one of the most important things you can do to ensure your wishes are respected after your death.
It allows you to clearly state who should inherit your money, property, possessions, and other assets. Without a Will, the law decides who receives your estate under the rules of intestacy, which might not reflect your true intentions or include important people in your life.
A Will also let you name guardians for your children if they are under 18, helping ensure their care is entrusted to people you trust. You can also set out specific funeral wishes, make charitable donations, and reduce the burden of inheritance tax through careful planning.
A professionally written Will provides peace of mind, clarity, and protection for the people and causes you care about most. It’s not just for the wealthy—anyone with dependents, property, savings, or specific wishes should have one. Regularly updating your Will keeps it in line with changes in your life or the law.

22/04/2025

What is the difference between a Will and a Lasting Power of Attorney?
A Will takes effect after you die, directing who inherits your assets and who manages your estate (your executor). It ensures your wishes are followed once you’ve passed away.
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) applies whilst you're alive, allowing someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf, if you lose mental capacity due to illness or accident. There are two types of LPA: one for property and finances, and one for health and care.
In short:
• A Will handles your affairs after death.
• An LPA protects your interests during life if you can't act for yourself.
Both are essential for full peace of mind: one secures your legacy, the other safeguards your wellbeing and finances whilst you’re still here.

14/04/2025

The top 7 common mistakes people make when writing a Will, and how to avoid them:
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1. Not Updating the Will
Why it’s a mistake: Life changes — marriages, divorces, new children, deaths, or asset changes — can all make your Will outdated or even invalid.
✅ Fix: Review your Will every 2–3 years or after major life events.
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2. Being Too Vague or Informal
Why it’s a mistake: Saying things like “I want my daughter to have the house” without clear legal structure or definitions can cause confusion, disputes, or even make parts of the Will unenforceable.
✅ Fix: Use clear legal language and name full names, addresses, and exact asset details where possible.
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3. Failing to Appoint the Right Executor
Why it’s a mistake: Choosing someone unreliable, too emotionally involved, or without financial/legal knowledge can cause delays and mismanagement.
✅ Fix: Choose a responsible, impartial executor — and name an alternate.
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4. Ignoring Digital Assets or Sentimental Items
Why it’s a mistake: Online accounts, crypto wallets, family photos, and keepsakes often get overlooked, yet they matter to your legacy and loved ones.
✅ Fix: Include instructions for access to digital assets and specify who receives sentimental items.
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5. Not Signing the Will Correctly
Why it’s a mistake: If not properly signed and witnessed according to your country’s legal requirements, your Will may be considered invalid.
✅ Fix: Follow your jurisdiction’s rules exactly — typically:
• Signed by you in the presence of two independent adult witnesses
• Witnesses must sign in your presence (and not be beneficiaries)

6. Not making a Will in the first place
Why it’s a mistake: You die intestate so have no control who gets to inherit and you very much delay probate
✅ Fix: arrange a Will, which with the right advisors is simply achieved.

7. Not making sure that your assets are protected from care fees or leaving out children from prior relationships.
Why it’s a mistake: With the recent changes from the government unless you take action if you or your partner go into care now the government have removed the cap on care charges, now the whole value of the estate can now be taken up in care fees.
✅ Fix: A property trust Will combined with putting the home into tenancy in common

25/03/2025

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) are legal documents allowing a person (the “donor”) to appoint one or more trusted individuals (the “attorneys”) to make decisions on their behalf if they lose mental capacity. There are two types of LPAs: Health and Welfare, covering decisions about medical care and living arrangements, and Property and Financial Affairs, which handle financial matters like managing accounts or selling property. LPAs ensure the donor’s affairs are managed according to their preferences, providing peace of mind and avoiding court-appointed guardianship in the event of incapacity. They must be registered to take effect.