If you don't appoint a guardian...

It is an unfortunate fact of life that there may come a time when you - or someone close to you - will have to make provisions in a will for the guardianship of children. It is a subject that many refuse to tackle head on but alas it is something that - if you are a parent and your children are under the age of eighteen - you should be prepared for.

Any adult of your choosing can be a guardian to your child or children. This can be a close family friend with whom the children in question already have a bond or a family member not already directly involved in their care, such as a grandparent, aunt or uncle.

Appointing a guardian is something that requires a lot of contemplation and discussion before a decision is made, however it will put your mind at rest knowing that your children will be cared for should anything happen to you.

For more information contact Wills and Probate UK on 0800 043 2811 or visit www.wapuk.co.uk

Panorama Program

"In response to the BBC panorama program, aired on Monday 9th August 2010, Wills and Probate UK would like to reassure current and future clients that they need not worry about the services provided by our company.

We have been actively campaigning for regulation of the Wills and Probate profession for over 3 years. We are glad the Panorama program has highlighted the con artists who operate in this industry and we believe it is simply impossible to establish the needs of a client over the internet. We are greatly looking forward to legislation being introduced to stop these companies, as were highlighted in the program, continuing to mis-sell products to their clients.

Wills and Probate never appoint themselves as named executors to the Will, therefore no part of Probate is handled by ourselves. Any Probate matters are passed directly to a local solicitor or a professional Probate company, Kings Court Trust Corporation, based in Bath.

Wills and Probate are a long established company and we have an excellent reputation for the outstanding service we provide."

If you would like to contact Wills and Probate UK regarding any of the issues highlighted in the program please call us on 0800 043 2811.

Elderly Care Vs Family Inheritance

We frequently meet clients who are concerned about the prospect of spending all their savings on paying for care in their old age, leaving little or no inheritance for their families.

Making the decision to move into a care home is difficult. Statistically one in three women and one in four men will require some form of long term care. The average cost of care in a residential home is about £25,000 per year.

The ability to pay for the care is assessed by the local authority, this is means based and the state will only pay for the very poorest people. If there is a shortfall of funds to pay for the care, this must be met from assets. There is no end to the extent to which local authorities can access assets. It is clear that the State cannot afford to bear the nation's care costs, making it increasingly important for our expanding ageing population to seek expert legal and financial advice.

We are always happy to discuss what best suits your needs and circumstances where care home fees are involved.

Visit us at www.wapuk.co.uk or ring us on 0800 043 2811