Shoking Statistics Released

Internet advice company unbiased.co.uk have recently carried out a survey into Wills. The study revealed that only 1 in 5 people have updated their Will in the last 10 years. Personal finances can change dramatically over a period of 10 years, it is important that people make sure their Wills are up to date to ensure their personal wealth is left as exactly as they wish at the time of their death.

Worryingly 10% of the people questioned had undergone a relationship change, such as a divorce or getting re-married, in the past 10 years and have not updated their Will to reflect this.

WAP UK can give you the advice you need when your circumstances change.

Family Protection, Lasting Power of Attorney

No one likes to think about losing the ability to manage their own affairs, but the NHS estimate that over 2,000,000 people lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves due to dementia, mental health difficulties, brain injuries or other illnesses that may occur even in the prime of life. It is important that you nominate someone you trust now to make important decisions on your behalf.

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) were introduced by the Mental Capacity Act 2005. They allow individuals to appoint Attorneys to look after their property and financial affairs (a Property and Financial Affairs LPA) and also to make health and personal welfare decisions (a Health and Welfare LPA) when they lack the capacity to make these decisions themselves in the future.

Call WAP UK today on 0800 043 2811 and they will talk you through the LPA process.

Have you thought about care home fees?

Evidence suggests that anything between 40,000 and 70,000 homes are sold each year to cover the owner’s care fees. Parents are seeing nest eggs which they had built up as intended inheritances for their children decimated extremely quickly once in care.
With advance planning, this need not be the case.

There are ways to protect the family home for the next generation, contact WAP UK on 0800 043 2811 to find out all the information you need.

Why Choose Wills and Probate

WAP UK are a long established and professional Will writing firm.

They ensure that every aspect of inheritance and wealth management will be carried out in line with your wishes in the event of your death.
Below are the benefits of employing WAP UK:

Peace of mind

Until a legally valid Will is made there is no certainty bout the fate of your wealth and possessions in the event of your death. WAP UK provides you with an effective and efficient service to put your mind at rest.

Professional service

Specialists in writing legally valid Wills, our consultants will deliver the exact requirements with a friendly, professional service.

Flexible and Convenient

Allowing for initial Will discussions to take place at a time, date and place of your choosing, our consultants will ensure you are at your most comfortable when taking your instructions.

Value for money

WAP UK will charge one fixed fee for taking instructions and preparing a Will. Whatever the family circumstances, you will receive a will to suit your requirements with no hidden charges.

Wills and Probate guarantee

As a member of the Society of Will Writers, WAP UK guarantees the advice and Wills produced by the company comply with the law and will represent your wishes in the way you intended.

Charity’s Will writing Service Challenged

The Telegraph recently reported the following case concerning Help the Aged’s Will writing service where the charity was the main beneficiary of will drawn up by its own recommended adviser. Mrs Southwell, who did not have any children, had made a will 10 years previously, leaving the bulk to her friend, Susie Crichton, with smaller legacies bequeathed to five other friends and six charities.

But shortly before her death, Mrs Southwell asked her social worker to help her draw up a will, claiming she did not have one and did not want her assets to go to the Government. The social worker contacted Help the Aged who sent round a Wills and Legacies adviser. But not one of the previous beneficiaries received a penny from this new will. Instead the bulk of her £350,000 estate went to Help the Aged.

Not surprisingly, when Mrs Crichton and her family learnt what had happened they proceeded to challenge the will. Helen Foster, the head of Wills and Legacies at Age Concern and Help the Aged was quoted in the article saying: "The Charity is aware of the dispute around this will, however we have defended our position as a legally- recognised beneficiary of the will. "Mrs Southwell did change the beneficiaries in her first will when constructing her second legal will and testament. As a charity it is not appropriate for us to speculate on why she reached this decision, but we utterly and profoundly reject any suggestion that pressure was brought to bear. The decision to amend the will lay solely and only with Mrs Southwell."

This case once again highlights the benefits of using an independent and professional Will writing service.

Why do I need a Will?

Many people, particularly young adults, think they have no need for a will.

Imagine a young lady, unmarried but living with her partner in a home they bought together. Two months before the wedding, she is critically injured in a car accident and later dies.

Who do the doctors update?

Who decides about the type of care she should receive?

And what happens to the house she bought with her partner?

These are all reasons why every adult, no matter their age or family status, needs basic estate-planning documents that dictate their wishes if they die or become incapacitated. Contact WAP UK on 0800 043 2811 or visit their website www.wapuk.co.uk for more information.

Lost Wills cause Heartbreak

The last wishes of soldiers killed in Afghanistan are not being honoured as the Ministry of Defence have lost their Wills, with heartbreaking consequences.

Servicemen and women who wish to make a Will before they are deployed on active service are given the opportunity to fill in a Ministry of Defence Will form which is then placed in a sealed envelope.

Corporal Rob Deering was killed by Taliban in Devember 2008. His fiance is now battling to save the house they shared after the MoD lost a Will he produced just weeks before being deployed. While preparing to leave, Corporal Deering was asked to produce the document twice after the first copy was lost. Now the second copy cannot be found and a previous Will made in 2006 is being used for probate, this Will differs from the later Will which had been drawn up. Relationships with his family have broken down over the missing Will and his grieving finace is now taking legal action to delay the distribution of the estate to allow the MoD more time to find the missing document.

There are many other cases of missing Wills within the Military. There has been calls for a full enquiry and one MP has accused the Government of 'bureaucratic incompetence bordering on cruelty' and failing in its duty to soldiers even after they have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Stories like this act as a stark reminder of how important it is for clients in the military to have their documents drawn up and stored securely. This ensure their loved ones are protected and their wishes are carried out.

www.wapuk.co.uk