My Services
Here at KMD Wills & Estate Planning, I offer a comprehensive range of services, covering all of your future planning needs. Click the sections below to find out more about each of my services.
Will Writing
A Will is one of the most important documents you will ever make. By making a Will, you will be able to express your wishes and make decisions as to how your estate will be distributed. You also leave gifts, appoint guardians and express your funeral wishes. Without a Will, your estate will pass under the rules of intestacy. These are incredibly strict and do not consider the more modern family circumstances which exist today, so your assets may not pass to those you would have chosen.
Whilst it is entirely possible (and legal) to write a Will yourself, legal advice is recommended to ensure that no potential issues arise. A professional Will Writer or Solicitor will carefully consider your family circumstances, as well as the size of your estate so as to offer the best advice. They can assess any potential risk of challenge to your Will and advise accordingly and can also ensure that your Will is validly executed.
There are different types of Will, covering a huge range of potential circumstances. My aim is to tailor your Will to you specifically, so that you can rest assured that everything is covered. I offer fixed-fee Will Writing packages, so there will never be any surprise costs! You can see what’s included with these, along with the fee information, below.
If you already have a Will which you need to update, this can be achieved via a Codicil or by making a new Will, depending on the changes required. I can assist with both of these options.
Complex Estates
For more complex estates, you may require additional provisions be added to your Will or you may wish to consider a trust.
A trust is a legal arrangement which can offer increased protection for your loved ones, or more flexibility in how your estate is distributed. Trusts are used for a variety of reasons. They can be used protect specific assets or specific people, such as children or beneficiaries that may be considered vulnerable, or as a planning tool to minimise inheritance tax. Wills involving trusts are more complex than a standard will, however I offer fixed-fee packages for these too, depending on your requirements.
Lasting Powers of Attorney
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a completely separate document to a will, however many people choose to put them in place at the same time as part of their estate planning.
An LPA is a legal document which allows you to appoint one or more people (known as your attorneys) to help make decisions on your behalf if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. This gives you more control over what happens should you need additional help, or if you have an accident or suffer an illness which affects your mental capacity.
There are two types of LPA: “Health and Welfare” and “Property and Financial Affairs”. A Health and Welfare LPA allows your attorneys to make decisions about your day-to-day routine, care options and also your medical care, including any life-sustaining treatment. A Property and Financial LPA allows your attorneys to make decisions about your money and property, such as: paying your bills, collecting benefit payments, managing your bank accounts or selling your home.
An LPA can be created using the Online Service or by completing the relevant paper forms, before registering the document with The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). Whilst it is possible to make a Lasting Power of Attorney yourself, it can be more complex than people first think, and mistakes could mean that the document is ineffective, or even invalid, at the time is it needed most.
I offer fixed-fee packages for both types of LPA, including their registration where required. You can see what’s included with these, along with the fee information, below.
Tenancy Severance
For most people land is the most valuable asset in their estate, so it is important that it is dealt with correctly in their will. Often property is held as co-owners, but people don’t always know whether their property is held as joint tenants or as tenants in common. These types of ownership are very different when it comes to the laws of succession and only property held as tenants in common can be gifted by will. There are two services I can offer in respect of property when it comes to estate planning. Firstly, if you aren’t sure how your property is held, I can conduct a search with HM Land Registry to find out. Also, if your property is held as joint tenants but you do not wish the property to pass under the rules of survivorship, I can arrange to sever the joint tenancy so that each owner’s individual share can pass under their respective wills.
Tax & Estate Planning
Estate planning is essential to making sure your wealth is protected for your family. By structuring your assets in a tax-efficient way, you can make sure everyone is provided for. By reviewing your estate and examining the available nil rate bands, potential tax reliefs available, the taxation of any trusts and any opportunities for lifetime gifts, I can assess your current tax position and suggest actions that could be taken to put your estate in the best possible position. Together with my will writing and power of attorney packages, you can fully prepare for the future and have peace of mind that your legacy is secure.
My Fees
Below you will find the current fixed-fee packages for my services. These fees are for standard services; any additional requirements will be agreed on a case-by-case basis, prior to the commencement of any work.
Simple Will… £150 (a simple will for a single individual)
Mirror Wills… £250 (a pair of simple mirror wills for a couple)
Complex Will… from £250 (a will for a single individual, requiring a trust or additional provisions)
Complex Mirror Wills… from £400 (a pair or complex mirror wills requiring a trust or additional provisions, for a couple)
All fixed-fee will packages include: an initial phone consultation to discuss needs, an instruction meeting (at your home or online), a draft Will along with full explanation for your approval, a final Will – which will be specially printed and bound – and a signing appointment OR detailed instructions for the signing if a formal appointment is not wanted.
All will packages also include a free annual will review, with discounted follow up services if they are required.
One LPA… £200 plus OPG Fee* (a single LPA document for one person)
Two LPA’s… £350 plus OPG Fees* (two LPA documents for one person OR one LPA document each for a couple)
Four LPA’s… £650 plus OPG Fees* (two LPA documents each for a couple)
All fixed-fee LPA packages include: an initial phone consultation to discuss needs, an instruction meeting (at your home or online), preparation of the required documents, draft copies along with full explanation for approval, final copies for signing, arranging for the signing of all parties (whether in person or by post), sending notifications to register (if required), submitting the documents for official registration (if required) and liaising with the OPG.
Discounts are available for all packages when an LPA is prepared in conjunction with a Will.
*The OPG Registration Fee is £82 per document, however there are reductions and exemptions available for those in receipt of certain benefits.
Land Registry Search… £5.00 per title (printed copies available)
Severance of Joint Tenancy… £50.00 (for two parties, both in agreement). Includes the preparation of all required forms as well as registration at HM Land Registry.
Services include: a free initial telephone consultation, a review of the current estate position and suggested actions for tax efficiency.
Owned and Operated by Kirsty Dimond, MSWW
Kirsty Dimond is fully trained, insured and code-compliant Member of The Society of Will Writers.
