Blog & Resources
Expert advice and insights on estate planning, Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, and protecting your family's future.
Where to Store Your Will and How to Keep It Safe
A Will that nobody can find after a death is worth precisely nothing. This guide walks through every storage option in England and Wales, covers how to look after the original document, and explains what your executors actually need to know.
How Pensions Fit into Your Estate Plan
Pensions are often the largest asset a person owns, yet most people never include them in their estate planning. This guide explains how pensions pass on after death, why expression of wish forms matter, and what the April 2027 IHT changes mean for your family.
Why Young Adults Should Consider an LPA
Lasting Powers of Attorney are not just for older people. If your adult child or grandchild were in a serious accident tomorrow, you would have no automatic legal right to manage their finances or make medical decisions on their behalf. Here is why every adult over 18 should have an LPA in place.
The 2026 Estate Planning Checklist: 10 Steps to Protect Your Family
A practical, step-by-step checklist covering everything you need to get your estate planning in order for 2026. From writing a Will and creating Lasting Powers of Attorney to understanding inheritance tax and having honest conversations with your family.
Using Trusts in Your Will: A Practical Introduction
Trusts are one of the most useful tools in estate planning, but the language around them can feel impenetrable. This guide explains what trusts are, why they belong in certain Wills, the most common types, and when the added complexity is genuinely worth it.
Court of Protection vs LPA: Cost, Time and Control Compared
What happens when someone loses mental capacity without a Lasting Power of Attorney in place? The Court of Protection becomes the only route, and it costs families thousands of pounds, months of waiting, and the loss of any say in who takes charge. This guide compares both paths side by side.
Writing a Will When You Have a Blended Family
Blended families face unique challenges when it comes to inheritance. Learn how to protect your spouse, your children, and your stepchildren through careful Will planning, and avoid the common pitfalls that leave loved ones with nothing.
What Happens When You Register an LPA with the OPG
A step-by-step guide to registering your Lasting Power of Attorney with the Office of the Public Guardian. Covers the signing order, fees, waiting times, common rejection reasons, and how to use your registered LPA.
When Is the Right Time to Make an LPA?
There is only one window for creating a Lasting Power of Attorney, and it closes without warning. This guide explains when to act, what triggers should prompt you, and why waiting is the biggest risk of all.
Digital Assets in Your Will: Crypto, Accounts and Online Legacies
Your digital life holds real value, from email accounts and family photos to cryptocurrency and online businesses. This guide explains what digital assets are, why they matter in estate planning, and how to make sure nothing is lost when you are gone.
How to Choose the Right Attorneys for Your LPA
Important considerations when selecting who will make decisions on your behalf if you lose capacity. Learn about legal requirements, qualities to look for, and how to structure attorney appointments.
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making a Will
Most Wills that cause problems were written by people who thought they'd done everything right. These are the five mistakes we see over and over, and honestly, every single one is avoidable if you know what to watch for.
Understanding Lasting Powers of Attorney: A Complete Guide
A comprehensive guide to Lasting Powers of Attorney in the UK. Learn about the two types of LPAs, who can be an attorney, the registration process, and why creating LPAs is one of the most important decisions you can make for your future.
LPA Fees: What Changed in 2025 and What It Costs Now
The OPG registration fee for a Lasting Power of Attorney rose from £82 to £92 on 17 November 2025. This guide covers why the fee went up, who qualifies for exemptions or reductions, the important Universal Credit change in February 2026, and whether an LPA is still worth the cost.
Can You Protect Your Home from Care Home Fees?
The idea of losing the family home to pay for residential care is one of the biggest fears in later life. This guide covers what actually works, what does not, and where the line sits between sensible planning and falling foul of the rules.
How LPAs Are Going Digital: The Powers of Attorney Act 2023
The Powers of Attorney Act 2023 is the biggest overhaul of the LPA system in nearly two decades. This guide covers what is changing, why it matters, and what you need to do right now if you already have an LPA or are thinking about making one.
Applying for Probate: What to Expect and How Long It Takes
Nobody sits around thinking about probate until they have to. Someone dies, the grief hits, and then out of nowhere there's this legal process between the family and the deceased's bank accounts. I've walked dozens of families through it and the same questions come up every time. What is probate. How do I apply. How long before I can actually do anything. This is the honest version of all that.
The Property (Digital Assets) Act 2025: What It Means for Your Estate
The Property (Digital Assets etc) Act 2025 finally sorts out whether you can actually own a Bitcoin the same way you own a car. Turns out you can. We break down the new third category of property, what it means for your Will and your executors, and what you should be doing about it right now.
How to Talk to Your Family About Estate Planning
Most families avoid talking about Wills, LPAs, and end-of-life wishes until it is too late. This guide covers how to start the conversation, what to say, what to leave out, and why the silence almost always causes more pain than the discussion ever would.
Electronic Wills: What the Law Commission Wants to Change
The Law Commission wants to drag Will-making into the 21st century. Electronic signatures, a lower minimum age, scrapping the marriage revocation rule, and giving courts the power to rescue flawed documents. Here is what the proposals actually say, what they would mean for you, and why nothing has changed yet.
The Seven-Year Rule: What It Really Means for Gifts and Inheritance
I have lost count of the number of people who think they understand the seven-year rule and then get it completely wrong. This guide covers how it actually works, what taper relief does and does not do, which exemptions you are probably ignoring, and why the care home fees thing is a total myth that could cost your family dearly.
What Executors Actually Do: A Practical Guide
Being named as an executor sounds like an honour until you find out what it actually involves. This guide covers the legal duties, the probate process, the pitfalls, and the question nobody thinks to ask: can you say no?
Care Home Fees and Your Home: What Every Family Should Know
The average residential care home in England now costs over £1,300 a week, and your family home could be on the line. This guide explains the means-testing rules, when the council can and cannot count your property, the deprivation of assets trap, and what you can genuinely do to protect your estate.
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