Winding up an Estate

We appreciate that the period of time after a death can be very stressful and difficult for families.

We can take away the stress of knowing what to do next by assisting executors and families to deal with a deceased’s person’s estate sensitively and efficiently.

We can guide you through the whole process from registering the death, arranging the funeral, valuing the estate, obtaining Confirmation (Probate) from the court, dealing with any Inheritance Tax and distributing the estate to beneficiaries.

Our Legal Services

Powers of Attorney

Powers of Attorney are a useful way to provide help to a person who has lost “legal capacity” to look after their own affairs and make decisions for themselves.

A Power of Attorney can be granted to say in anticipation of future incapacity who your Attorney should be and what he or she will be able to do. There is a common misconception that spouses can automatically deal with the other`s affairs but that is not the case. Granting a Power of Attorney is a bit like taking out an insurance policy. You may never need it but if you do the benefits to you and your family are significant. Granting a Power of Attorney keeps you in control – you choose the Attorneys you trust and the powers they are to have.

Our experienced solicitors can advise you on Powers of Attorney and guide you through the process.
Click here to read more about Powers of Attorney.

Why grant a Power of Attorney? PDF

Inheritance Tax Planning

We can provide you with advice on whether Inheritance Tax may affect you and ways in which this can be reduced or even eliminated by proper planning.

Living Wills

Living Wills (also known as “Advance Directives”, though currently not binding in law, can be taken into account by health professionals and your family. It is a way of stating your preferences about any future medical treatments if you are no longer capable of communicating these preferences yourself. This can often be a comfort to family ones, knowing what your wishes are. We can draft a Living Will for you.

Trusts

We can advise you on trusts, be it trusts set up during your lifetime or in your Will. Trustees of your choosing control the assets in the Trust and decide when and how they should pass to your chosen beneficiaries. A Trust can be used to preserve assets for future generations, to hold assets on behalf of beneficiaries who have lost capacity or to reduce your inheritance tax liability.

Notary Public Service

Our solicitors are also Notary Publics and are available, by appointment to notarise legal documents.

Other Services

We are members of HM Connect which enables us to offer our clients a full range of legal services outwith our own specialisation, while remaining as the trusted local advisor.

Conveyancing

We can help you buy your new home, whether you are a first time buyer or have bought many times before. We are familiar with the First Home funding scheme and can liaise with your mortgage broker and will guide you through the process of buying, keeping you up to date throughout.

Perhaps you are looking to remortgage or to discharge your mortgage once it is paid off. We can assist with that.

Others may be considering transferring property to children and we can advise you on the benefits and risks of that and carry out the legal work if you proceed.

For sales we can liaise with your estate agent of choice or pass you to one of our local trusted partner firms who offer estate agency and can then carry out the conveyancing for you once a successful offer is received. Perhaps you are looking to downsize or relocate and in other circumstances which force a sale such as a separation or death in the family we can assist you.

Our solicitors are experienced in both conveyancing and advising on Wills, Powers of Attorney and the winding up of estates after a death. We can therefore often provide you with one point of contact who will handle all your legal matters from start to finish

We can also set up a tenancy agreement for you if you are renting out a property and advise you on the rules and regulations you need to comply with.

Making a Will

It is estimated that around 60% of people in Scotland do not have a Will. Some assume that everything they own will automatically pass to their nearest and dearest and so don’t see the need to go to the expense of making a Will. For others they simply do not want to think about dying. Your Will is the most important document you will ever sign. Making a Will can ensure that your family is protected in the event of your death and can makes things easier for your family at a difficult time.

Our experienced solicitors can provide you with sensitive and practical advice on your Will and planning for the future. We are able to offer virtual meetings to discuss your Will and virtual "signings" to allow us to witness your Will without meeting you face to face.
Click here to read more about why making a Will is so important –

Why make a Will? PDF