Make your wishes clear in writing.
A current will and registered LPAs are the two documents every adult should have in place. They’re the foundation that the rest of the financial plan sits on — and the area most people put off the longest.
Half of UK adults still don’t have a will.
Without one, the intestacy rules decide who inherits — not you. The default rules don’t recognise unmarried partners, don’t consider step-children, and can split estates in ways that nobody in the family actually wanted.
Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) cover the other side — what happens if you’re alive but can’t make decisions for yourself. Without LPAs in place, family members can’t simply step in. They’d need to apply to the Court of Protection, which takes months and costs thousands.
Both documents are inexpensive to put in place properly, and dramatically expensive to be without when they’re needed. I work with a small panel of trusted solicitors to make sure clients have both, and that they’re coordinated with the rest of the financial plan.
The cost of leaving it for later.
By the time most people get around to thinking about it, something has usually already gone wrong.
With wills & LPAs in place
- Your assets go to the people you choose, in the proportions you choose
- Guardians named for any minor children — not left to the courts
- Trusted attorneys appointed for both financial and health decisions
- Step-children, unmarried partners and family realities recognised properly
- Letter of wishes alongside the will to capture the things it can’t
- Reviewed when life changes — marriage, divorce, new children, house move
Without them
- The intestacy rules decide — not you
- Unmarried partners can inherit nothing automatically
- Family applications to the Court of Protection — slow and expensive
- Disputes between family members over what you would have wanted
- Bank accounts and investments frozen until probate or court orders
- Children’s inheritance handled by the state rather than your chosen trustees
Strategy, not product pushing.
A four-step process that’s the same for every client — though the conclusions never are.
Understand your situation
Your assets, your family structure, what you want to happen, and any existing wills or LPAs already in place.
Decide what’s needed
Simple mirror wills, trust-based wills, both LPA types, executor and trustee choices — mapped against your specific circumstances.
Connect you with a solicitor
I work with a small panel of trusted private-client solicitors. They draft the documents; I make sure they fit the wider financial plan.
Keep it relevant
Wills should be reviewed every 3–5 years and after any major life event. LPAs travel with you for life — once registered, that’s the hard part done.
Things people often ask.
Can I just use an online will template?
Yes, you can. But online templates work best for genuinely simple estates — single homeowner, all to one beneficiary, no minor children. As soon as the picture gets more complex (step-children, business assets, blended families, anything involving a trust), a solicitor-drafted will is worth what it costs.
What’s the difference between the two types of LPA?
One covers Property and Financial Affairs (paying bills, selling the house, managing investments). The other covers Health and Welfare (medical treatment, care arrangements, end-of-life decisions). Most people benefit from having both, with the same or different attorneys.
How much does it all cost?
Solicitor-drafted mirror wills for a couple usually land in the £400–£800 range. LPAs cost around £82 each to register with the OPG, plus solicitor fees if drafted properly. Far less than the cost of getting it wrong.
When should I update my will?
After any major life event — marriage, divorce, new child, house move, significant inheritance, business sale, death of a beneficiary or executor. A quick review every 3–5 years is good practice anyway.
Does marriage cancel my will?
Yes — getting married automatically revokes a previous will under English law, unless the will was specifically drafted in contemplation of that marriage. Divorce doesn’t revoke it, but it does change how it’s read. Both are good prompts to review.
Do I need to put my house into a trust to protect it from care fees?
Be very cautious of any product sold on that basis. The local authority can disregard transfers made with that intent. Some trust arrangements have a place, but they need professional advice — not a doorstep sales pitch.
Let’s start with a conversation.
An initial chat is without obligation. Wills and LPAs are usually the quickest part of any plan to get sorted — and the one most worth ticking off.