PCB Solicitors congratulate Thomas Wardle on qualifying as a Solicitor

Our Wills and Probate team would like to congratulate Thomas Wardle on qualifying as a Solicitor today (16th December). Thomas, who is based in our Ludlow and Shrewsbury offices, has been an integral part of our ever expanding PCB team. Working along side Pauline Davies, Head of Department based in Shrewsbury and Knighton, Julie Griffiths in Church Stretton and Rachael Stokes in Shrewsbury and Dawley, the Wills and Probate Team with their assistants provide services across all the offices as well as home visits where necessary.

It is believed that over 54% of the population do not have a Will. This means that over 30 million people have not protected themselves, and their estates will be dealt with under the Intestacy rules. Intestacy Rules do not provide protection for partners or cohabitees. If there has been a family dispute, this is not taken into consideration and the estate will be split equally between the statutorily set beneficiaries. However, when discussing someone’s wishes with their Will, we will discuss all options which will not only protect their estates, but also possibly their beneficiaries for the future.

Another area of Law which our team prides themselves on, are Lasting Powers of Attorney. Lasting Powers of Attorney are a vital document for all people. They protect you and allow you to choose who you would want to make decisions on your behalf if you were unable to. Unfortunately, mental capacity could be lost or effected in many ways and with a stroke or car accident it can happen very quickly as well. A common myth is that a next of kin would be able to deal with affairs if you are unable to. However, this is not true. Without a completed LPA your loved ones would have to apply for a Deputyship Order which is comparatively expensive and can take 9 – 12 months to complete. By seeing a member of our team to prepare your Lasting Powers of Attorney, you can have peace of mind that your instructions will be listened to carefully and that the documents will be checked thoroughly to ensure that your needs are met and that the formalities have been complied with. When preparing your Lasting Powers of Attorney, we will explain the key differences between each of the forms and discuss the various options that are available to you to ensure that the people you trust most are in place to look after your affairs should you ever lose capacity.

If you have any questions or would like to have a meeting with one of our team, please do not hesitate to contact our offices to arrange an appointment and we will be happy to help.