Lifetime Planning (Wills, Trusts and Probate) Solicitors
At JNP Legal, our specialist team of will and probate solicitors have the expertise you need to assist you with all aspects of lifetime planning and administration of Estates. Whether it is a Will, Lasting Power of Attorney, or probate matter, they make the process as simple, and straightforward as possible.
We have estate solicitors based in Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Pontyclun, and Nelson who can assist you with:
- Wills
- Lasting Powers of Attorney
- Court of Protection applications
- Probate
- Probate disputes
- Inheritance Act Claims
- Trusts
Contact our expert team to discuss your requirements.
Download your guide to making a Will
Download your guide to making a Lasting Power of Attorney
Why choose JNP Legal's Lifetime Planning Team
Our estate and wills solicitors are renowned for providing quality legal advice, tailored to best suit our clients’ needs and circumstances. Our team offers a comprehensive and specialist service with competitive pricing structures. With clear fixed fee solicitor quotes, there’s no need to worry about hidden extras.
Frequently Asked Questions
A will is a legal document that states what should happen to your estate after your days.
By having a will in place, it will be both clear who is to inherit and what they are to receive, whether it is money, property or other possessions. This should not only offer peace of mind but also avoid uncertainty, which is often the catalyst for arguments that arise between family members after a death.
At JNP Legal, we appreciate that when a loved one passes away the thought of having to deal with the legalities of administering an estate can be daunting and overwhelming.
However our lawyers can assist you with:
- Making the application to the Probate Registry to obtain a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration;
- Conducting full estate administration, which would include identifying the estate assets and liabilities, settling any IHT liability, submitting the application to the Probate Registry for a Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration, liquidating estate assets and paying liabilities and distributing the estate.
If you do not have a will, the rules of intestacy determine who inherits your estate. This may result in your estate passing to persons for whom you did not intend to provide.
It is important to note that a co-habiting couple will not automatically inherit from one another under the rules of intestacy. Furthermore, the rules of intestacy only recognise biological and legally adopted children. Therefore, if you wish to provide for a co-habiting partner or step-child it is important that you make a will.
If someone is unmarried and has no living relatives, with no valid will in place, their estate could pass to the Crown (Government).
If you have concerns about the validity of the will or if you have an interest in the estate and were not named in the will or if you haven’t inherited as much as you were expecting from the estate, it is possible that you can challenge the will.
However, every case is different and you should seek legal advice on the grounds and likely success of your claim.
You are free to exclude family members from your will. However, disinheriting can have serious and costly consequences for your estate. We recommend that you take legal advice about how best to approach this sensitive matter to ensure that the terms of your will take effect and to reduce the chance of a successful claim being brought against your estate.
Depending on the type and value of the assets that make up your estate, there may be a need to make an application to the Probate Registry.
Where the deceased left a valid will, the application will be for a legal document known as a Grant of Probate. This application is made by the executors named in the will.
Where the deceased didn’t leave a will, the application will be for a legal document known as Letters of Administration. The rules of intestacy determine who is entitled to make this application.