Getting Organised (Legally speaking!) with Maxwell Hodge
As part of the business community in West Kirby, the Wirral and Merseyside we are often surprised to see so many business owners who haven’t put provisions in place for the future – what will happen to their business interests, property, shares and savings either after they have died, or while they are alive but unable to manage things themselves? Add to that issues around children, second marriages, co-habitation, step-children or other family issues and you can see how important it is to consider setting up your Will and Lasting Powers of Attorney to ensure that your family will be secure and not have the added worry of trying to sort things out because you didn’t!
Having a valid and up to date will is the only way to ensure that your hard earned assets pass to the people you choose. You can also use your will to address issues such as inheritance tax and care fees. With good advice they are generally straightforward and relatively inexpensive to have drawn up and provide peace of mind to both you and your family.
It’s not just dying that requires some forward planning either, there are a range of events and issues that could affect your ability to make important decisions either on a temporary or a permanent basis, including accidents, heart attack, stroke, mental health problems, brain injury, dementia or the side effects of medical treatment.
What you can’t do is see into the future – you have no way of knowing if or when accident or ill health will strike, but if it does who would deal with your affairs on your behalf and who would make decisions for you when you are unable to yourself? What you can do, is to plan ahead to ensure that the right people are stepping into that role, by drawing up Lasting Powers of Attorney enabling you to choose who makes decisions on your behalf in the event that you cannot do so yourself.
Don’t keep putting it off – make it a priority to get your affairs in order!
Why not call us today and make an appointment to talk things over with our experienced and professional advisers Andrea Ashton at our West Kirby branch on 0151 625 9154 or Marie Granby at our Heswall branch on 0151 342 6447.
