About Us
At Juris Law, we are specialised in Will Writing, Trusts, Lasting Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate Planning service. Our partners are fully qualified Will Writers and Estate Planning Practitioner. Juris law is a full member of the Society of Will Writers and complies with Code of Practices of the Society. Our members are only admitted to the Society after completing a stringent and robust application process. All our members hold professional indemnity insurance with a minimal level cover of £2 million and £5 million public liability cover.
What is a will?
A will is a legal document that allows you to state what should happen to your assets (your money, property, investments, and possessions) as well as your young children after you have passed away.
Is the will just for you or you and your partner?
A basic will for a single person is known as a single will and is best for people who want to record their own individual wishes
If your wishes are very similar to someone else's (typically your partner or spouse) then you may want to make standard mirror wills together.
What is a lasting power of attorney
A lasting power of attorney is a legal document that allows you to appoint one or more people to make decisions on your behalf during your lifetime. The people you appoint to manage your affairs are called the attorneys. A lasting power of attorney is a completely separate legal document to your will although many people put them in place at the same time as getting their will written, as part of planning for the future
Inheritance Tax Planning
Inheritance Tax is the tax applied to the estate of someone who has died.
Inheritance Tax (IHT) is a tax on the estate of someone who has died, including all property, possessions, and money. The standard Inheritance Tax rate is 40%. It’s only charged on the part of your estate that’s above the tax-free threshold which is currently £325,000.
What is Probate?
Probate is the financial and legal process involved in dealing with the property, money and possessions (called the assets) of a person who has died.
Probate is the process of proving that a will is valid (if there is one) and confirming who has authority to administer the estate of the person who has died.
The executor(s) named in a person’s Will, is responsible for Probate. An executor(s) is usually a family member or friend.
What is the Probate Process?
Probate takes at least a few months to complete. In most cases, the entire Probate administration process will take around 12 to 18 months. The Probate process involves five different stages:
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Determine the Value of the Deceased EstateIdentifying all of the deceased’s assets (property, investments and possessions) and all of their liabilities (debts ranging from loans to utility bills), to determine the value of their estate. At the same time, verifying who is entitled to inherit what from the estate, whether under the terms of the will, or in accordance with the rules of intestacy if there isn't a will, and obtaining the necessary identification documents for those beneficiaries.
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Paying Inheritance TaxPaying Inheritance Tax to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) where applicable and submitting the Inheritance Tax return.
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Applying for Grant of RepresentationApplying to the Probate Registry for the grant of representation. This is a document confirming who has the legal authority to administer the estate. After the grant of representation has been issued by the Probate Registry, liquidating (selling) the deceased’s assets, settling their liabilities, paying the final estate administration expenses and accounting to HMRC for any further Inheritance Tax, Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax due to or from the estate.
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Preparing Estate AccountsPreparing estate accounts for all payments into and out of the estate, and showing the balance left for distribution to the beneficiaries. Sending the estate accounts to the personal representatives (such as the executor in the will) for approval.
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Transferring Asset to the BeneficiaryProviding there are no challenges to the estate or other complicating factors that prevent distribution, the final phase will involve transferring assets to the beneficiaries (if they want to keep these) and distributing the balance of the estate in line with the terms of the will or the rules of intestacy.