Wills & Estate planning
Where life flows, your legacy follows
Wills & Estate Planning
At Danube Wills and Estate Planning, we believe your vision for the future is unique, and so is your legacy. Our services are designed to ensure your wishes are heard and your future is secure.
By creating a will and a comprehensive estate plan with us, you’re taking a proactive step to protect what matters most—your home, your assets, and the financial well-being of those you care about. We guide you through the process, providing clear direction that avoids future stress for your relatives and ensures your legacy is exactly what you want it to be. Our goal is to give you peace of mind, knowing that everything you’ve built will be secure.
Last Will: Securing Your Legacy
A Last Will is a cornerstone legal document that empowers you to dictate how your assets will be distributed and who will manage your estate after your passing. Far more than just a list of possessions, it ensures your precise wishes are honoured, your loved ones are provided for according to your intentions, and potential disputes among beneficiaries are minimised. Without a valid will, your estate could be subject to strict legal rules of intestacy, which may not align with your desires and can lead to unnecessary complications and delays for your family during an already difficult time.
- Asset Distribution: Clearly specifies who inherits your property, money, and possessions.
- Appoint Executors: Names the trusted individuals responsible for carrying out your wishes.
- Guardians for Minors: Essential for appointing legal guardians for any dependent children.
- Avoid Intestacy: Prevents your estate from being distributed by default legal rules if you die without a valid will.
- Minimise Disputes: Provides clarity, significantly reducing the potential for family disagreements.
- Legally Binding: Must be correctly signed and witnessed to be valid in the UK.
Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs): Planning for the Future
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a vital legal document that allows you to appoint trusted individuals, known as attorneys, to make decisions on your behalf should you ever lose the mental capacity to do so yourself, or simply no longer wish to. This proactive measure ensures that your financial affairs, property, health, and welfare are managed according to your wishes by people you choose, avoiding the lengthy and costly process of family members having to apply to the Court of Protection.
- Two Types: Covers separate areas – Property & Financial Affairs, and Health & Welfare.
- Appoint Attorneys: You choose who will make decisions for you.
- Financial Flexibility: Property & Financial LPAs can be used with your permission even while you have capacity, or upon loss of capacity.
- Capacity Trigger: Only becomes effective when you are unable to make your own health and welfare decisions.
- Avoids Court: Prevents the need for your loved ones to seek a Deputyship order from the Court of Protection.
- Registered: To be legally binding, it must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).
Gabor Ivankovics
Wills & Estate Planning Associate AIPW
gabor@danubewills.co.uk
07814 922623
FAQs
What is a Last Will and why do I need one?
A Last Will is a legal document that specifies how your assets (property, money, possessions) should be distributed after your death. You need one to ensure your wishes are followed, to appoint guardians for minor children, to name executors for your estate, and to prevent your assets from being distributed according to intestacy laws, which might not align with your intentions.
What happens if I die without a Will (intestate)?
If you die without a valid Will, your estate will be distributed according to strict legal rules of intestacy. This means the law decides who inherits your assets, which might exclude certain loved ones (like unmarried partners) and may not reflect your wishes, often leading to complications and increased stress for your family.
What is Estate Planning? How is it different from a Will?
Estate Planning is a comprehensive process of arranging your financial and legal affairs to manage your assets during your lifetime and to distribute them efficiently after your death. While a Will is a crucial part of this plan (detailing who gets what after you die), Estate Planning is broader, also covering things like Lasting Powers of Attorney, inheritance tax planning, and strategies to protect assets during your lifetime.
What is a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)?
An LPA is a legal document that allows you to choose people you trust (attorneys) to make decisions on your behalf if you ever lose the mental capacity to do so or no longer wish to make certain decisions. It’s a vital tool for ensuring your financial, property, health, and welfare decisions are managed by those you appoint.
What are the two types of LPAs?
Health and Welfare LPA: Covers decisions about your daily care, medical treatment, and living arrangements. This can only be used when you no longer have the mental capacity to make these decisions yourself.
Property and Financial Affairs LPA: Covers decisions about your money, investments, and property. This can be used as soon as it’s registered (with your permission) or only when you lose capacity.
When do LPAs come into effect?
Both types of LPAs must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) to be legally binding. A Health & Welfare LPA only becomes effective when you are unable to make your own health and welfare decisions. A Property & Financial Affairs LPA can be used once registered, either immediately (with your consent) or specifically only when you lose mental capacity, as you decide.
Who should I choose as my Executor/Attorney?
You should choose individuals you trust implicitly, who are reliable, organised, and capable of handling important responsibilities. They could be family members, close friends, or a professional. We can discuss the pros and cons of different choices during your consultation.
How often should I review my Will and LPAs?
It’s recommended to review your Will and LPAs every 2-5 years, or whenever significant life events occur. These include marriage, divorce, birth of children or grandchildren, death of a beneficiary or executor or significant changes in your circumstances.
Connect with us today!
Schedule your no-obligation appointment today and discover how we can help you navigate your mortgage process, and find the right protection policy for you and your family.
Wills and Estate Planning services are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Any advice or services provided in relation to Wills, Trusts, or Estate Planning do not fall under FCA regulation and therefore may not be subject to the same regulatory protections as financial services.
Providing accurate and complete information is essential to ensure your will and estate plan are prepared correctly and reflect your true intentions. Any omissions or inaccuracies could lead to delays, disputes, or the document being declared invalid. Your estate plan does not hold a monetary value in itself and only takes effect upon your passing. If the process is not completed or kept up to date, your arrangements may lapse or fail to reflect your current wishes.
The information provided on this website is for general guidance only and should not be taken as legal or estate planning advice. While every effort is made to ensure the content is accurate and up to date, no guarantee is given as to its completeness, accuracy, or suitability for your individual circumstances. Any reliance you place on such information is entirely at your own discretion and risk. We strongly recommend seeking advice from a qualified solicitor or estate planning professional before taking any action. This information is based on the laws and regulations of the United Kingdom and is intended for use by UK residents.
On behalf of APS Legal & Associates Ltd, Head office: Worksop Turbine Innovation Centre, Shireoaks Triangle Business Park, Coach Close, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S81 8AP APS Legal & Associates is a member of the Institute of Professional Will writers APS Legal & Associates complies with the Trading Standards Institute Approved IPW Code of Practice.
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2025
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