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Secure your legacy and provide financial security for your loved ones with our comprehensive estate planning solutions.
Book Your Free ConsultationEstate planning is not just for the wealthy—it's an essential process for everyone who wants to protect their assets and ensure their wishes are respected after they're gone. Our expert team at MA & CO provides tailored estate planning services to give you peace of mind about your family's financial future.
Safeguard your assets from unnecessary taxation, legal complications, and ensure they're distributed according to your wishes.
Navigate complex tax and inheritance laws with our expert guidance to minimize legal complications for your beneficiaries.
Provide for your loved ones even after you're gone with clear instructions for guardianship and financial support.
Estate planning is the process of arranging for the management and disposal of your estate during your life and after death, while minimizing inheritance tax liabilities. Under current UK law, Inheritance Tax is charged at 40% on the portion of your estate that exceeds the tax-free threshold of £325,000.
A legal document that communicates your final wishes regarding assets and dependents. Without a will, your estate will be distributed according to UK intestacy laws, which may not align with your intentions.
Legal arrangements that can help avoid probate, reduce inheritance taxes, and provide for special needs dependents. Trusts offer more control over how and when your assets are distributed.
Documents that grant someone the authority to make financial or healthcare decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated. This ensures your affairs are handled according to your wishes even when you can't manage them yourself.
Strategies to minimize the 40% inheritance tax that applies to estates valued above the £325,000 threshold. When you give your home to children or grandchildren, your threshold can increase to £500,000. Married couples can combine their thresholds, potentially allowing up to £1 million to pass tax-free.
Understanding HMRC inheritance tax rules can help you legally reduce tax liabilities:
The best time to start estate planning is now. While many people think estate planning is only necessary for the elderly or wealthy, the truth is that everyone can benefit from having a plan in place. Consider updating your estate plan after major life events such as:
Our team provides professional will drafting services tailored to your specific needs, ensuring your assets are distributed according to your wishes.
We help establish various types of trusts to protect your assets, minimize taxes, and ensure smooth transfer of wealth to your beneficiaries.
Strategic advice to minimize inheritance tax liability and maximize the wealth passed on to your loved ones through legal exemptions and reliefs in accordance with HMRC guidelines.
Assistance with setting up Lasting Power of Attorney documents for both financial affairs and health & welfare decisions.
Support in creating advanced healthcare directives that specify your medical care preferences if you become unable to communicate.
For business owners, we offer comprehensive succession planning to ensure smooth transition of business ownership and management.
There's no specific age to start estate planning, but it's advisable to begin once you have assets or dependents. Even young adults should consider basic elements like a will and power of attorney. As you acquire more assets, get married, or have children, your estate plan should evolve accordingly.
A will is a legal document that specifies how your assets should be distributed after your death and goes through probate court. A trust, on the other hand, can be effective immediately, avoids probate, offers privacy, and can manage assets if you become incapacitated. Trusts are typically more complex but offer greater control over asset distribution.
You should review your estate plan every 3-5 years, or whenever you experience significant life changes such as marriage, divorce, birth of children, significant changes in assets, moving to a different country, or changes in tax laws. Regular reviews ensure your plan continues to reflect your current wishes and circumstances.
If you die without a will in the UK (intestate), your assets will be distributed according to intestacy laws. This means your estate may not be distributed as you would wish. For example, unmarried partners typically receive nothing, and if you're married with children, your spouse doesn't automatically inherit everything. Creating a will ensures your specific wishes are followed.
There are several HMRC-approved strategies to minimize inheritance tax, including using your nil-rate band (£325,000) and residence nil-rate band (up to £175,000), gifting assets during your lifetime (especially more than 7 years before death), setting up trusts, investing in tax-exempt assets, using spouse exemptions, charitable giving (10% of estate reduces rate from 40% to 36%), and taking out life insurance policies to cover the potential tax bill.
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows you to appoint someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so due to illness or accident. There are two types: one for health and welfare and another for property and financial affairs. Without an LPA, your loved ones would need to apply to the Court of Protection to make decisions for you, which can be time-consuming and expensive.
Our comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about estate planning in the UK, including:
Complete Estate Planning Guide
PDF Format • 25 Pages
Book a complimentary 15-minute consultation with our estate planning specialists to discuss your needs and how we can help protect your legacy.
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"MA & CO made estate planning simple and straightforward. Their team guided me through the entire process, helping me create a comprehensive plan that gives me peace of mind about my family's future."
"Their expertise in inheritance tax planning was invaluable. They helped me structure my estate in a way that significantly reduced the tax burden on my beneficiaries. Highly recommended!"
"As a business owner, I needed a specialized estate plan. The team at MA & CO created a tailored solution that addressed both my personal assets and business succession planning. Excellent service!"