Wills, registering a Will, Probate & Trusts
Within the firm's Wills, Probate and Trusts department we have a wide experience in dealing with Estates large and small, Wills and Tax Planning, Elderly Client legal care, Probate and Court of Protection work. Additionally we deal regularly with Trusts and Settlements and we are happy to advise on all these areas. We have a Mencap recommended advisor for Wills and Trusts as well as a Cruse Probationary Bereavement Volunteer.
People underestimate the importance of a carefully drafted Will in which they can minimise the amount of Inheritance Tax payable on their death; whilst providing for the care and protection of those they love and wish to benefit. The cost of making a Will is readily affordable and in many cases prepared for a fixed fee.
Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors have become the Founder Member for the York area when they recently became members of Certainty. Certainty is a National Will Register and Will search service. It is used by the legal profession, the public, charities and financial institutions to register and search for missing Wills.
The Certainty National Will Register provides Wills & Probate professionals with a Will register and a Will search service that searches for Wills that have not been registered as well as ones that have. There are no client confidentiality issues at all, only the location of the Will is registered and the existence of a Will remains confidential until proof of death.
Membership of Certainty for our clients means that once they give agreement to us that they would like us to register their Will with Certainty, they will have the peace of mind of knowing that their loved ones can quickly and easily locate their Will at the time when it is needed. Once their Will is registered with Certainty, it allows their family to locate the Will and records the solicitor’s office where the Will is held.
Our experienced team will be happy to arrange a meeting with you at our offices to discuss your personal circumstances and draft your Will. Contact a member of the team listed at the bottom of this page and they will be able to explain in more detail what you will need to prepare and the costs.
Alternatively, we have a new online Wills service now available. Using our online Wills form, you can enter your details and your wishes for your Will and submit the information to us to process. Not only does this service mean you can make a Will in the comfort of your own home but it is also very competitively priced from as little as £34* for a single Will and £49* for a joint/mirror Will. Find out more about our online Wills service here.
We have extensive experience in dealing with:-
- Estates large and small
- Protecting Property Interests
- Writing a Will and updating an existing Will
- Wills (including Will and Probate Laws)
- Will disputes
- Tax Planning (including Inheritance) - Please see our article below
- Lasting Powers of Attorney Find out more here
- Registering powers of attorney at the Court of Protection
- Probate & Administration
- What to do in an Intestacy
- Elderly Client legal care
- Court of Protection work
- Trusts and Charities advice - Please see our article below
- Setting up a trust to protect your vulnerable or disabled child/family member
Should I make a Will if I get divorced?
If you are divorcing or have divorced your spouse, it is very important that you make or review your Will for the following reasons:
1. Your spouse could still inherit from your estate if you have not made a Will and die before having obtained a Decree Absolute
2. You may want to appoint Guardians for your minor children
3. If you have appointed your spouse as your Executor, the appointment will be invalid after Decree Absolute
To speak to a member of our Private Client team, simply select one of the staff profiles below. Alternatively, you can make a general enquiry using the contact details at the bottom of this page or by calling in to any of our offices and making an appointment.
Read what our private clients have said about our service:
" We have used the firm for many years and have always found you good and effective."
"Belinda very helpful & friendly."
"Help was given in a friendly, easily explained way. Fully satisfied with the brief time I spent in your reception and meeting room."
"You are friendly and approachable - deal with everything efficiently. Costs are reasonable and you make things understandable and create peace of mind."
"A lovely sympathetic, friendly, informative and thorough young man to help us.For us everything was just perfect - we had been dreading it!"
"Very helpful and friendly."
"Darren Norgate was excellent. His commitment, diligence and service was exemplary and he is an asset to your organisation. Well done."
"Excellent service – very pleased."
"I was treated with respect and Mr Walton went out of his way to help and advise me."
"To feel comfortable at all times is good. I felt any questions asked would be answered."
"Trustworthy firm."
"I thought Miss B Poulter was highly efficient with very good communication skills and her secretary too."
"Helpful with advice and prompt."
"Staff very helpful and considerate. The fact that you were able to visit me was much appreciated."
"No need for improvement!"
"We have found the firm and in particular Belinda Poulter to be efficient and helpful."
"I found your offices and reception rooms very nice indeed, very warm and all your staff were very efficient but very kind, especially Mr D Norgate."
"Reliable and speed of service - consistently."
"So approachable and easy to talk to but still very professional and made sure the job was done to a high standard."
Mencap Recommended Advisor
Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors is one of Mencap's recommended solicitors to parents and carers of children with a learning disability, and is able to offer advice to parents and carers who are considering making their Wills to plan for the future of their vulnerable child. Crombie Wilkinson also regularly speaks at Mencap's Wills and Trusts seminars for parents in the area.
Sharon Richardson from our Private Client team is a Mencap recommended advisor for Wills and Trusts. Sharon can advise you on how you can include a gift to Mencap in your Will or Trust. As a charity, Mencap would not be able to survive without the legacies left to them so it is important that if you want to make a gift to charity that you speak to a recommended advisor who can guide you through the process.
To find out more from Mencap about leaving a gift to them in your Will, please visit their website here.
Cruse Bereavement Care
Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors has a Probationary Bereavement Volunteer, Sharon Richardson from our Private Client team, for Cruse Bereavement Care. As a volunteer, Sharon has undertaken a specialist Cruse bereavement training course so that she can help anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss. To find out more about how we can help please click here
Dying Matters
Sharon Richardson and Belinda Poulter from our Private Client team are members of Dying Matters. Dying Matters is an online resource giving advice and support to people by raising awareness of dying, death and bereavement. In 2009, the National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) set up the Dying Matters Coalition to promote public awareness of dying, death and bereavement. It is chaired by Professor Mayur Lakhani, who is a practicing GP. The work of the Coalition is supported by Professor Sir Mike Richards, National Director for Cancer and End of Life Care, and by the NCPC’s Board of Trustees.
Their members include organisations from across the NHS, voluntary and independent health and care sectors (including hospices, care homes, charities supporting old people, children and bereavement); social care and housing sectors; a wide range of faith organisations; community organisations; schools and colleges; academic bodies; trade unions; the legal profession and the funeral sector. You can find out more by visiting their website at www.dyingmatters.org
Our work with York City Charities
The firm acts as clerk to York City Charities which provides 50 properties in an Almshouse complex, the largest in York. We actively manage the complex to ensure quality services for residents against a criterion of value for money.
Jennifer Bartram
Richard Watson
Darren Norgate
Sharon Richardson
Belinda Poulter
Christopher Walton
Related Documents
- Nil Rate Band Discretionary Trust Wills Important Changes (109kb)
You may have heard that changes in the law mean that a surviving spouse can claim the Nil Rate Band (NRB) of the first spouse to die (providing it has not been used) against their estate for Inheritance Tax purposes. This means that a surviving spouse, who has been left all the estate of their deceased spouse, can claim up to £600,000 (in the current tax year) worth of assets passing free of Inheritance Tax on their death. Find out more abuot the new rules. - Crombie Wilkinson - Inheritance Tax Planning (214kb)
Inheritance tax (“IHT”) is a charge on the value of the assets gifted by someone either during their lifetime or on their death. Read our article to find out all about IHT and how it could affect you. - Crombie Wilkinson - Trusts - Your Questions Answered (144kb)
Trusts – Your Questions Answered In this article we explain Trusts and how they work, including how they are created, taxed and managed. - Advance Decisions (Living Wills) (170kb)
An Advance Decision is a document whereby you make decisions, to refuse specified medical treatment. It is made whilst you have capacity, for a time in the future when you may lack the capacity to refuse or consent to treatment. Find out more by reading this article. - Crombie Wilkinson - Pilot Trusts and why to use them (180kb)
By using a Pilot Trust you can set up a number of discretionary Trusts through your Will without them becoming "related Trusts". Find out more by reading this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can you store my Will when it has been completed and is there a charge for this?
We offer free storage of your Will for as long as you wish. We also provide you with a copy for your records.
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Can you advise me on investments?
If you need advice on investments, we will usually refer you to a firm or person who is authorised by the Financial Services Authority. As Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, we can provide certain limited investment services where these are closely linked to the legal work we are doing for you.
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Does my Will cover what I want to happen to my foreign assets?
Your Will may not be effective to ensure that property or assets you own outside England or Wales passes to your beneficiaries. If you require specific advice in relation to such property or assets please let us know when you make your appointment.
We are here to help
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