What happens to someone’s estate when they pass away is important and needs to be carefully planned for and managed when the time comes.
At Thornton Jones, our wills and probate solicitors offer expert support for people in Tadcaster and across North Yorkshire for making wills, estate planning and dealing with probate and estate administration when someone dies.
We know what a daunting prospect it can be planning for what happens when you are no longer around or dealing with the estate of a loved one who has passed away. Offering sensitive, practical support, our team aim to remove unnecessary confusion and stress, making things easier on you and your loved ones, while enabling you to make the best decisions and take the right actions at the right time.
Our experienced team can assist with matters including:
- Wills
- Living wills (advance decisions to refuse medical treatment)
- Trusts
- Lasting Powers of Attorney
- Court of Protection deputyship & applications
- Probate and estate administration
- Contentious probate (Inheritance dispute resolution)
We have experience with estates and assets of all levels, including high value and complex matters, so can provide experienced expertise carefully tailored to your situation and requirements.
For friendly, experienced wills and probate advice near Tadcaster, please contact our Sherburn in Elmet office, which is just 6 miles (about a 10-minute drive) from Tadcaster.
Plan your journey
Want to visit our Sherburn in Elmet office from Tadcaster? You can plan your journey here.
How our wills and probate solicitors near Tadcaster can help you
Wills
Failure to make a will means your estate will be dealt with under the rules of intestacy. Not only does this mean your estate may go to people you would not have intended, but it also means you may miss out on the opportunity to make your estate more tax-efficient.
Our Will solicitors near Tadcaster can assist with creating a watertight will that accurately sets out your intentions, while also advising on the various options to minimising your estate’s liability for Inheritance Tax. This can help to significantly increase the amount that passes on to your heirs.
If your circumstances change, we can also assist with updating your will, either by adding a supplementary document known as a ‘codicil’ or by drafting a replacement will.
We can store your original will for you and provide you with a copy, so that when your will is needed, it can be quickly and easily accessed by your named executors.
Read more about making a will.
Living wills (advance decisions to refuse medical treatment)
Thinking about what medical treatment you would or would not want is a sensible step, especially for those who are older or living with serious health conditions. Failing to make this clear can leave your loved ones in a difficult position should there ever be the need to decide on what treatment you should receive.
A living will (also known as an ‘advance decision’ or ‘advance decision to refuse medical treatment’) allows you to specify any treatment you would not wish to have, should the question ever arise in future.
Our team can help with drafting an advance decision and make sure you and your loved ones fully understand its implications.
Read more about living wills.
Trusts
Trusts can be a very effective option for protecting assets from Inheritance Tax and when it comes to making sure children and vulnerable dependants would be provided for if you were no longer around. They can also be useful in circumstances, such as where a large personal injury payment has been made that you wish to protect.
Our trusts solicitors near Tadcaster have extensive experience with different types of trusts and the various circumstances where they can be used. We can help you to choose the right trust or trusts for your requirements, then guide you through the whole process of setting up and managing the trust.
We are also able to act as professional trustees where required.
Read more about setting up a trust.
Lasting Powers of Attorney
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) allows you to nominate someone to help make decisions about matters, including your health, welfare, property and finances, should you ever lose the capacity to make such decisions by yourself.
Our Lasting Power of Attorney solicitors near Tadcaster can advise on how LPAs work, draft the necessary documents and provide clear, practical advice for Attorneys who are supporting a vulnerable person.
Read more about lasting powers of attorney.
Court of Protection deputyship & applications
Where someone no longer has the mental capacity to manage their own affairs, and they do not have a Power of Attorney in place, it may be necessary to apply to the Court of Protection. The Court can authorise decisions, such as selling a vulnerable person’s home, as well as appointing a ‘deputy’ to assist with making decisions in the vulnerable person’s best interests.
Our team can advise on applications to the Court of Protection, becoming a deputy, acting as a deputy and matters, such as statutory wills and trusts that often need to be considered for those who have lost capacity.
Read more about Court of Protection deputyship & applications.
Probate and estate administration
Handling the administration of an estate after someone has passed away can feel like a real burden, especially at a time when you are likely already dealing with significant emotional upheaval.
Our probate lawyers near Tadcaster can assist you with any and all parts of estate administration, including taking care of the entire process for you if that is your preference. We can also advise on the intestacy process if someone had died without leaving a will.
Read more about probate.
Contentious probate (inheritance dispute resolution)
Disputes over estates are, sadly, all too common. Frequent issues include where someone is unhappy with the level of provision for them in a will or under the rules of intestacy, where there are questions over the accuracy or validity of the will and where there are suspicions that the deceased may have been unduly influenced in the making of their will.
Our contentious probate solicitors in Tadcaster can give you the best chance of securing a positive resolution without the need for combative court proceedings, while also being fully prepared to support you in court should this become necessary.
Read more about contentious probate.
Why choose Thornton Jones’ wills and probate lawyers near Tadcaster?
Our team have decades of combined experience dealing with all matters related to wills, probate and lifetime planning. Our expertise covers all of the common issues you would expect as well as many of the more unusual and complex issues that can arise. You can therefore rely on us for tried-and-tested expertise on what needs to happen in even the most challenging circumstances.
We are recognised for our skills and experience in the area of wills, probate and inheritance by the Law Society with accreditation from the Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme.
Our team is led by Liz Fyfe, who is a qualified Trusts and Estates Practitioner with STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners).
Thornton Jones is independently regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
Contact our wills and probate solicitors near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire
Need clear, practical advice and guidance for making or updating your will, dealing with probate, or resolving an inheritance dispute in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire or the surrounding area?
Please contact our Sherburn in Elmet office.
