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Will Writing in East Kent
Will Writing in East Kent If you’re looking for a trusted Will Writer in East Kent then look no further. SLS Wills and More is run by founder Sara Sheppard who has more than 35 years of experience in estate planning and estate administration. As well as being incredibly experienced she is also a member of The Society of Will Writers (and sits on their Professional Standards Board) and she is a member of STEP. For those that don’t know, STEP is the global professional association for those advising families across generations. Their mission is to inspire confidence in families planning their assets across generations by setting…
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Football and Estate Planning
Many of us have lost our partners or husbands to the sofa over the last week with the start of the euros and it got us thinking. We were looking to find a tenuous link between football and estate planning and we found one… (not ideal of course)… Initially we were going to do a piece about how footballers (many of whom are very handsomely paid for their craft) need to protect, preserve and pass on their wealth and then the sad instance occurred in the Denmark game when, Christian Eriksen sadly collapsed in an off the ball incident and needed urgent medical attention. The incident has been…
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The unmarried partner scenario
I’m not married, do I need a Will? I have lost count of the number of times I have been told that I don’t need a Will, when in reality, this is not the case. We have written lots of articles about reasons why people need a Will but addressing this point is important for a number of reasons. We will start with a story which demonstrates perfectly the importance of Will planning when not married. The story: About 7 years ago I had a conversation about estate planning with a couple (not married) who were relatively young (in their early fifties). The couple had…
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Health and Welfare – Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)
A Brief Re-Introduction There are two types of LPA; a Health and Welfare LPA and one governing your Property and Financial Affairs. Both equally important but serving two different purposes. In this short article, we’ll explore the importance of a Health and Welfare LPA. Health and Welfare LPAs In a recent report from the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), it was reported that only 10% of all registrations of Lasting Powers of Attorney are for Health and Welfare. This is quite concerning to me as I am fully aware just how much an LPA for Health and Welfare is needed. Why do I need an LPA for Health…
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Sad news today – HRH Prince Philip has passed away
Sad news emerged today from Buckingham Palace as HRH Prince Philip has passed away. Losing a loved one is never easy but when it’s your spouse and you’ve been married for over 70 years I imagine it’s even harder. Having been in private practice dealing with estates and probate for over 30 years we often support people who have been grieving over the loss of a loved one whilst trying to sort out their affairs. In the past, we have written articles about what probate (or estate administration) is and what the responsibilities of an executor are but sometimes it’s just too raw and painful. If you’re dealing with…
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What you need to know about planning your funeral…
About funerals The cost of dying is reported on annually by Sunlife and it is repeatedly reported that the costs associated with dying are increasing year on year. This means it’s important to do what we can to reduce those costs, or where possible, fix those costs at today’s prices. It’s possible to fix those costs using a pre-paid funeral plan. What is a funeral plan? Whilst it’s possible to arrange a funeral post death, it’s often a difficult and challenging time for those left behind. This is why many people are putting a funeral plan in place. Not only does a funeral plan allow you to share your…
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The Order of St John
It is with tremendous pride that I am pleased to announce that I have had an invitation from Her Majesty The Queen. Throughout my career I have been a longstanding volunteer with St John Ambulance in Kent, mainly as a youth leader training young people in first aid. However since 2015, I have concentrated on Safeguarding, firstly as a District Safeguarding Officer, but since March 2020 I have decided to remain on the Safeguarding team to help support my colleagues. I never volunteered to get recognition but I am flattered to have been invited to become an officer of the Order of St John. Entry to the…
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Estate Administration explained
When someone passes away it can be a very challenging time and knowing what to do can be tough. Probate can sometimes seem like a bit of a maze so in this short article we have summarized the steps needed to wind up an estate. Bear in mind that we are unable to cover every aspect of the estate administration process so we have done a brief summary of the common steps: Register the Death Arrange the funeral When arranging the funeral check the Will to see if there are any wishes in the Will or to see if there is reference to a pre-paid funeral plan. Best to check…
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My partner will get everything anyway – I think…
This has to be one of the most common myths that I see as a Will Writer. “My partner will get everything any, I don’t need to write a will”. In this case, I always ask whether they are married and typically get the answer “no, but we live together and share everything”… When we investigate what this means and apply the law as it stands we often see a situation like this: Under the laws of intestacy, unmarried partners won’t inherit. If you own your home in your sole name and you pass away without a Will, then your live in partner won’t automatically inherit your home.…
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3 real clients we can learn from
In this article I am going to share 3 stories of real estate planning clients. We are sharing these stories to help educate about the need for effective estate planning but for client confidentiality, I have anonymised any names. These cases are unfortunate and I’m sure that after reading them, you will feel for the loved ones involved. Sideways disinheritance Figures indicate that over 42% of marriages end in divorce. It’s a harrowing statistic and we recognise that lots of people go on to remarry when they find happiness. This does present some challenges when we thing about estate planning and this is demonstrated by a client (Mrs Smith)…
Affordable legal services in East Kent
