Mitchell Hames Estate Planning

26/05/2025

⏰ As an estate planning consultant, I see it all the time: clients know they should make a Will or set up lasting powers of attorney, but they hesitate.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Sometimes it’s because they feel too young, too healthy, or too overwhelmed. Other times, it’s because the choices are just hard—who should care for the children, how to divide the estate fairly, what to say to loved ones.

💕 But here’s the truth that many people don’t realise: doing nothing is still a decision. And often, it’s a decision with real—and sometimes painful—consequences for the people left behind.

💷 My latest blog explains why now is the best time to plan. It’s simpler and more affordable than you expect to get advice.

📆 Today’s a good a day as any!

As an estate planning consultant, I see it all the time: clients know they should plan, but they hesitate. Sometimes it’s because they feel too young, too healthy, or too overwhelmed. Other times, it’s because the choices are just hard—who should care for the children, how to divide the estate...

02/03/2025

A joint tenancy creates rights of survivorship. When one owner dies, the remaining owner automatically owns the whole property. This means a joint tenant cannot gift their interest in the property to anyone else by their Will.

Every homeowner should know if they are a joint tenant or a tenant in common.

Find out why it's so crucial in my latest blog.

A joint tenancy creates rights of survivorship. When one owner dies, the remaining owners automatically own the whole property. This means a joint tenant cannot gift their interest in the property to anyone by their Will. Find out more in this easy to understand blog.

22/01/2025

💛The golden rule sets out how a legal professional should act when supporting older clients. It concerns assessing a person’s mental capacity to make a Will. This is known as testamentary capacity.

🧠You may have heard the Latin phrase ‘compos mentis’, which means ‘of sound mind’.

🐝 My latest blog explains how the golden rule is an important safeguard for elderly clients, and why EVERY willwriter must follow it.

https://www.mitchellhames.co.uk/blog/what-is-the-golden-rule

20/01/2025

🎁 Are you considering gifting your house to your children while you're still living in it?

❓You can give your home away to your children and continue living in it, BUT… and its a very big BUT… have you considered all the disadvantages?

🐝 My latest blog explains the 7 (HUGE) disadvantages, and what action you should consider instead.

https://www.mitchellhames.co.uk/blog/gift-home-avoid-tax

10/01/2025

🤷‍♀️Ever wondered what happens to paper Wills once they're no longer needed?

⚖️All wills and documents submitted for probate are kept in their original paper form forever, as they have been since 1858. However, in December 2023, the government suggested a change: older wills could be scanned into digital form, and the paper versions destroyed after 10 to 12 years.

❓In this blog, you can find out the consultation results and what will happen to your paper Will after you’ve gone.

https://www.mitchellhames.co.uk/blog/what-happens-to-my-will

09/01/2025

⏰Have you checked your Will lately? Is it easy to understand?

🤯An overcomplicated Will can cause issues, and your family might need to pay for professional help to decipher it. Thankfully, the days when Wills started with 'I give devise and bequeath' have passed.

📜One or two legal words and phrases are inevitable in a well-drafted Will because they avoid ambiguity. Modern estate planners use plain English and divide the text of your Will into sections to make it easy to read and understand. This article explains the most common legal terms used in estate planning.

❌TOP TIP: Don't be tempted to use legal language in a DIY Will. For example, the word 'issue' has a precise meaning. In a legal context, issue refers to a person's lineal descendants, such as their biological children and grandchildren. It does not include stepchildren.

🐝If your Will needs updating, get in touch. I'd love to help.
https://www.mitchellhames.co.uk/blog/legal-jargon-explained

05/01/2025

🐝Your executors will need to be able to find your personal and financial information when the time comes.

🖋A simple way to do this is to prepare and maintain a record for your executors that details what you own and where you have kept vital information.

🖨Download my FREE template and find out more in this article.

www.mitchellhames.co.uk/blog/executors-info

04/01/2025

Estate planning can help protect your wealth for the next generation. Trusts are not only for the super-wealthy.

Standard mirror Wills do not include asset protection trusts. If safeguarding your wealth is important to you, read our latest blog to learn how a simple Will trust can benefit your family.

www.mitchellhames.co.uk/blog/property-protection-trust

02/01/2025

Are you putting off making a Will to avoid thinking about the awful possibility of not being there for your children?

Find out more about how to tackle a difficult decision in our Q&A blog.

https://www.mitchellhames.co.uk/blog/are-godparents-the-same-as-guardians

01/01/2025

Do you make New Year's resolutions?

Maybe estate planning isn't as glamorous as hitting the gym or booking a dream vacation, but it's a decisive step toward securing your future.

Act now to protect the people you love. If you've been putting it off, you're not alone. Discover why 2025 should be the year you make your Will in this latest blog.

www.mitchellhames.co.uk/blog/new-years-resolutions-for-2025

31/12/2024

🐝Wishing all my clients and their families a very happy, prosperous and healthy new year.

30/12/2024

🖋A letter of wishes sits alongside your Will. It can be a farewell letter to your family and friends. Use you letter to guide your executors about how you’d like them to deal with your wealth and assets. Find out more in our latest blog.

💗Download a complimentary template letter of wishes when you sign up for my monthly newsletter.

https://www.mitchellhames.co.uk/blog/how-do-i-write-my-letter-of-wishes