The majority of people in the UK do not have a Will despite the knowledge that a well made Will – no matter how simple- provides peace of mind. It ensures that your money and belongings pass to your chosen relatives, friends and selected causes when you die.

Without a Will, the Rules of Intestacy decide who inherits your money and possessions which may not be who you want or even expect! This could lead to your family not being provided for and lead to further expense, stress and even litigation. There is no such thing as a common law wife or partner and so unmarried partners and those not in civil partnerships do not automatically benefit from your estate.

If you have young children, a Will can appoint Guardians to ensure they are looked after by those you choose and well provided for. Similarly, you can decide who will act as Executors and ensure that your wishes are complied with and your estate administered correctly.

You can state your wishes for your funeral, leave personal items of sentimental value, make provision for any pets safe in the knowledge that your wishes can be clearly understood and carried out.

Inheritance Tax planning can also be considered when making a Will ensuring that your family are placed in the best possible position should you die.

A trust in a Will can also protect those people who you may wish to benefit who could be more vulnerable say for example those going through matrimonial breakdown, or with a disability who aren’t in a position to handle an inheritance either temporarily or permanently.

Even if a properly drawn up Will is in place, it should be reviewed regularly. Our lives are constantly changing so inevitably do our circumstances so it is imperative that we don’t just have a Will but that we have a Will that reflects your current position.

Here at Mann Solicitors we can deal with all your Will requirements no matter how simple or complex your life is and we will be happy to discuss our charges in more detail with you. We believe that just as one size doesn’t fit all, nor does one price and our charges reflect this so you don’t pay for something you don’t need.

Unfortunately, paying Tax is a certainty in life and in death Inheritance Tax is currently payable on the value of your estate above the threshold of £325,000.00 (Tax year 2010/2011) at a rate of 40%.

Well thought out planning during your lifetime and a well drafted Will can ensure that you can mitigate your Inheritance Tax liability.

Here at Mann Solicitors we are experienced enough to know that whatever your taxation position we can help you to understand your Inheritance Tax liability and advise you on Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax. That way you can achieve your goals and wishes with the added benefit of sound Tax planning.

A Power of Attorney can be a useful document in circumstances where you are unable to act for yourself. This could be because you are going to be out of the country or due to incapacity whether this be physical or mental.

The chosen Attorney for example could sign cheques for you or authorise transactions whilst you are abroad. This is what is known as a General Power of Attorney.

Until October 2007 Enduring Powers of Attorney for Property and Affairs were in force. Though from October 2007 no new Enduring Powers of Attorney could be made, any existing ones would remain valid and we can advise you on these and the registration requirements.

A Lasting Power of Attorney can allow you to choose Attorneys to act for you in situations where you cannot due to a physical or mental incapacity. You can also decide whether they will act for you in connection with your Property and Affairs or your Health and Welfare (in this case only when you lack mental capacity to do so yourself) or indeed both. A Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney can also extend to the giving or refusing consent to the continuation of life sustaining treatment.

With a Lasting Power of Attorney in place, you can decide who takes control and makes decisions for you in tandem with protective legislation. We can advise you on everything you should consider when making a Power of Attorney or Lasting Power of Attorney to include the registration with the Court if required.

Having a Lasting Power of Attorney in place can also assist you if you are struggling to make decisions in relation to nursing care as without this, the Primary Care Trust can decide for you under “the best interests principle” of the Mental Capacity legislation.

If you lack capacity to make a financial decision and a Lasting Power of Attorney (or even an Advance Directive or Living Will in some circumstances) then it may be necessary for an application to be made to the Court of Protection for an appropriate order. This is time consuming and costly and can easily be avoided with good advice and forward planning.

Mann Solicitors are experienced in dealing with all types of Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection Applications and can help you to ensure that should the unexpected happen, you and your family are well prepared.

A Trust can provide a flexible solution to family, money and tax issues either set up during your lifetime or upon death through a Will.

Whatever type of trust you need, Mann Solicitors Services can help you to find the right trust for your needs.

Even if you already have a Trust in place, we can review and revise it looking at the whole picture from both a Trust Law and Tax perspective.

A Trustee has a major responsibility and must comply with both legal and financial duties. We can advise you on the role of trustee before taking up the role as well as giving help and assistance during Trusteeship.

Trusts can come in many forms and Mann Solicitors Services can advise you on the most appropriate vehicle for your circumstances. This could range from trusts for grandchildren or disabled beneficiaries through to pension trusts and establishing and administering charitable trusts.

Let Mann Solicitors Services take you through the maze and complicated tax path of trust law so that you can find a clearer path.

When the worst happens, the last thing you need is to find yourself in a minefield of time consuming paperwork and struggling to get by.

We understand that sorting out financial and legal arrangements at this time is the last thing you want to be dealing with so be assured that by instructing Mann Solicitors, one less stress and worry can be taken away.

Whether they have made a Will or not, certain procedures need to be dealt with. We can help and guide you through, whether this is advice and assistance or obtaining the necessary grants and managing the administration of the estate. If you are appointed an Executor in a Will or you are to be an Administrator of an Estate, we can advise you on your responsibilities and the rules and regulations that apply.

Normally, legal costs for administration come from the deceased’s estate. Our costs will always be discussed and agreed with you in advance so you know exactly what the position is at all times.

Legal issues affecting us as we get older are becoming increasingly more complicated. These issues not only affect the individual but their families and carers as well.

The earlier specialist legal advice is sought, the more chance there is of mitigating problems later on.

Here at Mann Solicitors we are members of Solicitors for the Elderly giving us experience and specialist knowledge in this area of law. We understand and empathise the difficulties faced in getting older and recognise that this requires really careful planning.

We all want to ensure that as we get older and our needs get greater that we will be looked after, knowing the stresses of modern daily living can make this difficult for loved ones to manage everything.

Questions such as:

• What type of care will I need?

• How will it be paid for?

• How does the system work and what happens to my home?

All spring to mind.

The questions of elderly care are also closely linked to issues relating to Wills, Powers of Attorney, Trusts and the Court of Protection. We look at the whole package for you so you have piece of mind to know that our knowledge can give you both practical and clear help, knowing you have made all the decisions.

Charities can be large or small and can cover international issues or local community projects-in other words they are diversity itself. The governing bodies of these Charities are legally responsible for all its legal obligations and ensuring the strategic development of the body itself-no small job!

Whether you are a Trustee or a Manager who requires assistance or guidance on charity obligations and regulation or if you are thinking of establishing a Charity and just don’t know where to start, Mann Solicitors can help.

We can advise you on the different options open to you to start your Charity and assist you in all your dealings with the charity commission and other regulators. We will keep in touch with you regularly to ensure that help is always on hand should you need and assist you with the charities needs from governance to fundraising.

Its not something any of us want to think about, not being able to stay in our own home or look after ourselves. Mann Solicitors can call on our extensive contacts and local knowledge to advise you on the options available to you from legal and financial help to staying in your home with proper help or from moving into residential or nursing care.

We can advise you on what you should be looking for should leaving your home become a necessity; whether that is questions to ask when looking around a home or advising on how the costs will be assessed, calculated and met. The cost of care varies greatly and can be a minefield to work through. Variables such as the type of care needed and the facilities on offer can all make a difference. Care homes offering nursing care usually costs more and if you are self funding or wanting above basic are you will be charged a higher fee.

Questions such as:

• Will I have to pay the Full cost of care?

• What is free Nursing care?

• Do shared assets make a difference?

• Will I need to sell my home to meet the costs?

• What if I have given assets away?

Mann Solicitors can put your mind at rest by answering all these questions in clear plain English. We can advise you on what assessments should be done, what benefits you should be receiving and ensuring that you are receiving the right care funding for your needs.