About Us
Platinum Will Writing Services
Platinum Will Writing Services was created to provide a will writing service that is professional yet personal. Staff are legally trained and professionally qualified to advise on Wills and any matters related to their drafting.
We are situated in Hertfordshire and are able to make home and hospital visits at a time convenient to you. Arrangements can also be made for those living in other parts of the country.
Our Will Consultant is a member of the Society of Will Writers (SWW). The Society of Will Writers was established in 1994 and is the largest and most active organisation representing Will writers in the UK and around the world. Its primary objectives are the advancement, education and ethical standards within the Will Writing profession. Members are fully trained, fully insured and adhere to the SWW code of practice.
Platinum Will Writing Services provides a personal, easy and professional service – giving you the peace of mind that your family and assets are fully protected.
Will Writing
Why make a Will?
If you are a single person:
You may want your estate to go to friends and charities as well as family.
If you are living as a married couple:
But not officially married, you may be treated as a single person and surviving partner may get nothing.
If you are living as a married couple:
Don’t assume my ‘other half’ will get everything. Brothers, sisters or parents may have a claim. Often your children have a right to be part of your estate.
If you are a parent:
You should consider who would look after your children in the event of your death.
This is particularly important in the case of ‘one parent’ families and unmarried parents living together. A valid Will nominating Guardians is invaluable in such cases.
If no one knows what you wanted, the Court will decide on the future of your children.
If you are retired:
Possibly you made a Will a long time ago. It probably needs updating to include additional grandchildren.
However, if you have not made a Will the state will decide for you using the Law of Intestacy. It won’t be what you want and it’s certainly NOT to reflect your wishes
To protect those you love, make a Will.
Frequently asked questions - Wills
Why do I need a Will?
A Will is a legal document that ensures your wishes are carried out in the event of your death. If you have not made a valid Will, your money and possessions will pass according to the rules of intestacy. This may not be what you would have wished.
At what age do I need to consider a Will?
Anyone over the age of 18 can have a Will drafted to suit their personal need. There is no upper limit to making a Will as long as you are of sound mind.
How will a Will benefit me?
You will be able to ensure that your loved ones are provided for exactly as you would have wished. It will remove potential arguments and distress for relatives.
Where do I keep my Will?
A will should be kept in a safe and secure storage.
What goes into a Will?
All your money and possessions will be captured in your Will along with instructions as to how you wish for these to be distributed after you are gone. If you have children, arrangements can be made for their welfare.
Is there a limit as to how many people I can name in my Will?
There is no limit on the number of beneficiaries that can be named in a Will.
Once I’ve made my Will, do I have to pay for any additional costs e.g. storage?
You can pay an annual nominal cost for keeping your will in a safe and secure storage.
How long does it take to make a Will?
Drafting a Will is usually straight-forward process that can take an hour. This can change depending on personal circumstances.
How easy is it to change a Will?
You cannot amend a Will once it has been signed and witnessed. However an official alteration can be made called a codicil or a new Will would need to be made.
If I make a new Will, what happens to the old one?
Making a new Will will revoke any existing Will. However, you will need to state this in the new Will.
Can I cancel my Will?
You may cancel a Will by destroying it. This must be carried out by yourself or in your presence.
How much does it cost to write a Will?
Wills are tailored to suit you therefore the cost will depend on your personal need and circumstance. Confirmation of costs can be made once there is an understanding of the work needed to draft a Will for you.
Lasting Powers Of Attorney
A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets you (the ‘donor’) appoint one or more people (known as ‘attorneys’) to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf. This gives you more control over what happens to you if you have an accident or an illness and cannot make your own decisions (you ‘lack mental capacity’).
Types of LPAs
There are two different types of LPAs; Property & Financial Affairs, and Health & Welfare. The Financial and Property LPA appoints someone to take care of your assets and finances. A Health & Welfare LPA entitles you to appoint someone to make decisions for you regarding your health and living arrangements.
A common misconception about LPAs is that you do not need one until you start to lose your mental faculties. However, if you wait until this point in your life you may not be in a position to set an LPA up. People lose mental capacity for many different reasons such as strokes, accidents or heart failure.
Organise an LPA at any time and take control
If you want to ensure that you have the opportunity to decide who will look after your affairs if you suddenly become unable to do so then don’t leave it until it is too late. Control is lost if there is no LPA in place and family members will have to petition a court for access to your affairs which can be a very lengthy and expensive process.
Frequently asked questions - LPAs
If I complete the LPA forms now, does it mean that I will no longer be able to make decisions for myself?
No. The purpose of the form is to allow people to make decisions for you in the future, if you can no longer make them yourself. It does not mean that from the moment you complete the forms your attorney takes over making decisions for you.
What happens if I don’t make an LPA?
If you don’t make an LPA, and later become unable to make certain decisions for yourself, there may be a time when no one can legally make decisions for you. This can make things very difficult, such as paying bills or care costs, or making decisions about your future care. Your loved ones will need to apply for a Deputyship Order from the Court of Protection. This will not only take a long time but also a costly process.
How long does and LPA last for?
LPAs expire on the death of the donor. The reason for this is that the LPA enables decisions to be made when someone can no longer do so themselves, but once they die, such decision making would also cease at that point.
What happens once forms have been completed?
When you've made your lasting power of attorney (LPA), it is submitted for registration with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) which takes between 8 and 10 weeks.
What happens if I want to end my LPA at some point in the future?
You may revoke the power of attorney at any time. A written statement called a 'deed of revocation' must be completed and sent to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG)
Do I need an LPA if my partner and I have joint bank accounts?
Yes. Even if you have a joint bank account, this does not mean your partner will be able to automatically access funds to pay for bills, mortgage or general expenses. If you were to lose capacity, the bank has the ability to remove access and freeze the account until they receive a copy of the registered LPA which can be extremely stressful for your partner.
What happens if I or my attorney dies?
Upon your death the LPA will automatically come to an end. The OPG must be informed and sent the original document along with any certified copies. The OPG will then remove the LPA from its register and inform all of the attorneys.
If there is only one attorney appointed then the LPA will automatically terminate when that attorney dies. The OPG must be informed. If you still have mental capacity then you will need to create a new LPA.
If there is more than one attorney and they are appointed to act jointly and severally, then the surviving attorneys can continue to act and the LPA will not end.
