Services for Individuals -
Wills, Probate & Trusts
“Timely inheritance tax planning can save handing a significant chunk of your estate to the taxman”
Introduction
A surprisingly high number of people fail to make a will, despite the difficulties this can create for family and friends after their death. Even more fail to take advantage of the opportunities to minimise the tax which will be paid on their estate.
We can draw up simple wills for clients, or give more complex advice on tax planning, gifts and legacies, and trusts. Click here to go to the Taxation page.
Individuals can act as trustees or executors of wills, but there are advantages in using a trust company; it is likely to be longer-lived than an individual and may find it easier to remain neutral if there are disputes or problems.
Clients have the option of nominating our own trust company, the Russell-Cooke Trust Company, as a trustee or executor. It is non-profit-making, regulated by the Law Society and covered by the firm's professional indemnity policy.
Trusts are widely used as part of inheritance planning, both to minimise tax liabilities and as a way of controlling what happens to wealth and property after the owner's death.
Our trusts department manages a number of long-standing family trusts and deals with the legal issues that arise from them, working closely with the wills and probate department.
Many of its clients have a long-standing relationship with the firm, often going back decades.
Russell-Cooke can also help when disputes in relation to estates arise. The Contentious Probate section of the site contains useful information on this area.
Civil Partnership
The new Civil Partnership Act will have a significant impact on inheritance legislation. Our new Civil Partnership page gives more information and looks at other implications of the Act. Click here to go to the Civil Partnership page.
Wills After The Finance Act 2006
The Finance Act 2006 came in to force on the 19th July 2006 and introduced far-reaching changes to the Inheritance Tax treatment of trusts.
Click here for a review of the main issues and how they may affect you and your current Will.
People
We have wills and probate teams at the Putney office, led by Richard Frimston, and at Kingston led by Roger Ford.
Lewin Chapman, who is known to many clients as an experienced trustee, is still very active in his consultancy role.
The trusts team is also based in Putney and is led by David Biddle.
For probate enquiries please call:
Tel: 020 8394 6208 (Putney)
Tel: 020 8456 6111 (Kingston)
For trust enquiries please call:
Tel: 020 8394 6231
For all other private client enquiries please call:
Tel: 020 8394 6210 (Putney)
Tel: 020 8546 6111 (Kingston)
Click on a name below to bring up a biography:
- David Biddle
- Kieran Bowe
- Lewin Chapman
- David Carson
- Jean Coulter
- Roger Ford
- Sue Fowle
- Richard Frimston
- Pam Gale
- Roz Gray
- Narinder Johal
- Fiona McDonald
- Rose Phelps
- Anne Walter
- Katrina Waters
- Vicky Wood
- Christopher Young
Making a will?
Before you consult us for the first time, you may find it helpful to complete a questionnaire. This will help you gather together all the relevant names and addresses and provide a brief summary of your assets.
You can download a questionnaire here, using Acrobat.
(If you do not have Acrobat, download it here free of charge.)
Useful Links
Society for Trust and Estate Practitioners
Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists