Charis Thornton, Solicitor

It’s never too early to make a will and you should review yours every two to three years, or earlier if your circumstances change.

Consider putting a Lasting Power of Attorney in place sooner rather than later. It’s important to think about what you would want to happen if you lost capacity to make decisions for yourself.

Keep your important documents organised, along with an up-to-date record of your finances, including gifts which you have made. This information will be invaluable to your executors.

Who can I appoint as my executors?

You should appoint people that you trust to manage your affairs and deal with your estate in accordance with your wishes. Clients tend to appoint family members, but you can also appoint professional executors.

What is a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)?

LPAs can be put in place to cover both your financial affairs and your health and welfare decisions. In your LPA, you appoint people (your attorneys) to act on your behalf in case you lose capacity to make decisions yourself.

How long does it take to administer an estate?

This will very much depend on the size and complexity of the estate. For a simple estate administration, it can take around six to nine months. However, if there is a property to be sold then it will likely take longer.