It’s never too early to make sure your affairs are in order for you and your family.

Herts Advertiser: Writing a Will is the ideal time to check over your finances and ensure you are investing your money wisely. Picture: Getty ImagesWriting a Will is the ideal time to check over your finances and ensure you are investing your money wisely. Picture: Getty Images (Image: Bernard Bodo)

The team at Taylor Walton Solicitors explain how they can help you protect your wealth and manage it in the way you want.

Q: How can writing a Will help me cope during coronavirus?

In these uncertain times, it can help to take control of the few things that you’re able to. The main benefit of writing your Will is the peace of mind it can give you. You’ll know that you’ve put your affairs in order to secure your family’s future and can continue to care for them even when you’re no longer here.

Herts Advertiser: Appointing a solicitor can help you care for elderly or vulnerable family members currently in self-isolation. Picture: Getty ImagesAppointing a solicitor can help you care for elderly or vulnerable family members currently in self-isolation. Picture: Getty Images (Image: Archant)

Writing your Will is a good reason to check in with the health of your finances. You may not realise the extent of your wealth or what you own. Use this time to learn the nature of your assets, where they are held and if you could be investing your money more wisely.

Q: Why should I seek legal advice before writing my Will?

We can help you support your family in the future and ensure your wealth is protected and managed in the way you’d like. Without a Will, there’s no guarantee that your family, close friends or other loved ones will inherit what you want them to.

We can guide you through every step of writing your Will. We’ll help you draft it and check over documents thoroughly before they’re sent to avoid any costly and lengthy mistakes.

Complex estates will require more planning. If you’re a business or land owner you will need to think about succession planning - who will take over from you in running the business and be able to transfer your share holdings, title deeds etc, to successfully take over the assets and property.

We’ll advise how to do this in a tax-efficient manner to avoid hefty inheritance tax costs.

You can get in touch with us over the phone or by email. Our Will writing questionnaire can be used as a substitute for a face to face meeting. It will highlight any issues that we need to consider and determine the best way for us to enact your wishes. Your solicitor will draft your Will, make any amendments and send over a final version for you to sign. Once it’s completed, we can store your Will, free of charge.

Q: What legal help is available for my elderly relatives currently in self-isolation?

Elderly parents or vulnerable family members currently in self-isolation will be experiencing difficulties arranging their finances. You or another family member may be trying to act on their behalf but are coming across obstacles.

Under lasting powers of attorney, solicitors have permission to act on their behalf and make the financial decisions they need, especially at a time like this. They can help pay for groceries, visit the bank for them and plan for their long-term care.

We’re continuing to take instructions from people that want to appoint a solicitor. We’re doing this over the phone or by email and for new clients are arranging video calls to speak with them face to face.

It’s worth inquiring about how to set up lasting powers of attorney, even if you don’t need one presently. This way you’ll have all the arrangements in place, just in case.

Q: How can I get in touch?

Whilst we’re not seeing clients in person, we’re doing everything we can to ensure that the needs of our clients are met and that we provide you with the best possible service in these challenging times.

We can chat with you about making your Will or amending your current one and offer the legal advice you need for your family.

We have branches in St Albans, Harpenden and Luton.

Call us at our Harpenden branch on 01582 765111 or email harpenden@taylorwalton.co.uk. To speak to a member of the team in St Albans call 01727 845245 or email stalbans@taylorwalton.co.uk. Visit taylorwalton.com for more information.