Personal

Wills Services

If you die without a valid Will, your estate will be distributed by the rules of intestacy in force at that time. As a result, your property, investments, assets and belongings may not be shared as you would wish and you can leave your loved ones facing a difficult probate process.

Glanvilles has a dedicated Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning team in each of our offices, meaning our specialist expertise is easily accessible to clients across Hampshire and West Sussex. Our Wills solicitors have extensive experience creating Wills for a wide range of people, covering the simplest to the most complex estates and circumstances.

Glanvilles Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning team can help you prioritise matters and draw your attention to questions you might otherwise overlook. For example, we can advise you on how to take full advantage of available inheritance tax exemptions and thresholds (the nil rate band). Other factors to consider may also include if you have remarried, run your own business, own a share in a partnership or private company or have assets abroad.

If you need a Will created or updated, advice on estate planning, assistance with Intestacy, help with Will disputes or are interested in having us act as professional Executors for you, we will be happy to discuss your requirements and our fees with you.

Speak to one of our Wills, Trusts and Probate team in Chichester, Fareham, Havant or Petworth or use the contact form below to ask us a question and get a quick response.

Our Wills services

We offer friendly, reliable legal advice for creating a Will and all other issues related to Wills and inheritance law in Chichester, Fareham and Havant, as well as throughout West Sussex, Hampshire and South East England.

Making a Will

Your Will needs to meet a number of conditions to be legally valid and minimise the risk of any disputes between your loved ones after you pass away.

We can ensure that your Will meets the necessary conditions and that all of the relevant issues are considered so you can be confident your wishes will be carried out and our loved ones looked after.

Updating a Will

If your circumstances change, it is important to update your Will as soon as possible. This is commonly required if, for example, you get married or divorced, have children, start or buy a business or there are other significant changes to your estate that need to be accounted for.

Estate planning

Depending on the complexity of your estate and the needs of your dependants, planning for the future of your estate can be challenging.

We can advise you on all of the relevant issues, including your inheritance tax liability, creating trusts and Lasting Powers of Attorney and any other issues you need to consider.

If you have been left out a Will or feel that you have been unreasonably provided for in a Will, we also offer bespoke claims against an estate services.

Professional Executors

Many people like the reassurance of naming a solicitor as one of the Executors of their Will as this means they can be confident that all of the appropriate processes and legal issues will be correctly dealt with.

This can also make the probate process much easier for the beneficiaries of the Will during the probate process.

Glanvilles’ Wills solicitors are able to act as professional Executors in appropriate cases, so if you are interested in this service, please mention this to us when we are creating or updating your Will.

Will disputes

Disputes over the contents of a Will can be difficult to resolve, often costing a lot of time and money if not handled correctly.

We can advise you on the most effective way to resolve Will disputes with our focus being on avoiding court action wherever possible.

By using methods such as negotiation and mediation, it is usually possible to resolve inheritance disputes quickly and cost-effectively without going to court.

Simple Wills

Creating a Will doesn’t have to be complicated, but it is essential to ensure your wishes are clearly documented and legally valid.

A simple Will is often suitable for individuals with straightforward estates, allowing them to specify who will inherit their assets and appoint Executors to handle their affairs.

Our experienced Wills solicitors can guide you through the process, ensuring your Will is properly structured and provides security for your loved ones.

Asset protection

Preserving wealth for future generations requires careful planning to mitigate risks such as inheritance tax, care home fees, and potential claims against your estate.

Various legal structures, including trusts and tailored Will provisions, can help protect your assets while ensuring they are passed on efficiently.

Depending on your circumstances, options such as lifetime gifting, placing assets in trust, or making use of inheritance tax exemptions may be appropriate.

Our Will writing solicitors will take the time to understand your goals and recommend the most suitable strategies to safeguard your estate and provide security for your loved ones.

Life interest trusts

A Life Interest Trust allows you to provide for a loved one while protecting the long-term value of your estate. This type of trust is commonly used to allow a spouse or partner to continue living in a property or receive income from investments, while ensuring that the underlying assets eventually pass to your chosen beneficiaries, such as children from a previous marriage.

By ring-fencing assets in this way, a Life Interest Trust can prevent them from being diminished due to future relationships, care fees, or financial difficulties. Our solicitors for Wills can help structure the trust to align with your wishes, balancing immediate security with long-term estate planning.

Discretionary Trusts

For those who require flexibility in estate planning, a Discretionary Trust provides a way to manage and protect assets while giving Trustees the authority to decide how and when beneficiaries receive funds.

This type of trust is particularly useful in situations where beneficiaries are young, vulnerable, or have financial difficulties, as it prevents assets from being accessed in a way that might not be in their best interests. It can also provide tax planning advantages and protect family wealth from external claims, such as divorce settlements.

Our local solicitors for Wills can draft a Discretionary Trust tailored to your specific circumstances, ensuring that your estate is managed efficiently while maintaining the necessary safeguards.

Why choose Glanvilles’ Wills team?

Our Wills solicitors offer a professional, caring service designed to make it as easy and stress-free as possible for you to make sure your wishes for your estate are carried out and your loved ones are taken care of.

We will talk you through all the relevant issues and your options in plain English and are committed to making our service as accessible as possible, so are happy to visit you in your home, hospital or a nursing home where required.

Alongside our own legal expertise, we also have strong connections with a range of other professional advisors, including accountants and financial advisers, so can help to ensure all of the relevant issues are considered and accounted for.

We are accredited members of the Law Society's Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS). Our team includes members of the Probate Section of the Law Society and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, reflecting our particular expertise in this area of the law.

As members of STEP we adhere to the STEP Code for Will Preparation in England & Wales. Please visit step.org/step-will-code to find out more about the code.

Get in touch with our Wills solicitors in Chichester, Fareham and Havant

Need help creating or updating a Will, planning for the future of your estate, resolving a Will dispute or with any other issue related to Wills and inheritance? Our highly experienced Wills solicitors are here for you.

Simply contact your local Glanvilles office in ChichesterFarehamHavant or Petworth or use the contact form below and we will get back to you quickly.