Wills, Probate, Powers of Attorney Solicitors & Advice for Older Clients

At Kingsfords, we offer a wide range of services to help you manage and safeguard the interests of you and your family. Our Wills, Probate and Powers of Attorney team have years of experience addressing the legal needs of individuals and also offer the free storage of Wills, Deeds and other legal documents exclusive to our clients.

Nearly all of our team are members of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE). We take extra steps to care for our elderly and vulnerable clients, ensuring that they feel comfortable and uplifted by our high standard of client care.

Many people delay addressing their Wills, Probate, and Powers of Attorney needs, sometimes, unfortunately, until it is too late. Dying intestate (without a Will) places stressors and potential financial burdens on your loved ones, so working with a Wills and probate solicitor is an excellent way to look out for the best interests of your family.

Our Wills and probate services include:

Speak to our Wills and probate solicitors and Lawyers in Kent today

Speak to one of our Wills and probate Lawyers at our offices in Ashford, Cranbrook or Hythe today by calling 01233 624545.

Alternatively, please fill in our enquiry form on the right-hand side of the page to request a call back.

Our Wills, probate, and Powers of Attorney expertise

Court of Protection

The Court of Protection exists to protect individuals who are, or are becoming, unable to manage their own affairs through loss of mental capacity. It can be difficult to enact changes such as necessary medical decisions and accessing resources without the consent of the court, which you gain through a Lasting Power of Attorney or Enduring Power of Attorney.

Our Private Client Team are able to manage a range of applications and offer you a fixed fee. You’ll have our guidance through each step of the process, including:

Deputyship Application for Property and Financial Affairs
Deputyship Application for Personal Welfare
Application for a Statutory Will
Emergency Court of Protection applications
Ongoing advice for Court of Protection Deputies

Digital Legacy Planning

As more and more aspects of our daily lives are handled online, it is crucial to consider the implications of your digital legacy on your passing. Our team can explain what a digital legacy is and this relatively new area of the law and will help arrange for which parts of your online presence you want to be preserved for your next of kin.

Your digital fundamentals, like money matters, emails, photographs and social media, are almost always password-protected or even under two-stage authentication. You can protect your family from having to battle with tech platforms for access to your online accounts by writing your digital wishes into your Will.

Our digital legacy solicitors and lawyers will put together the exact and specific language needed to secure your digital legacy and nominate a Digital Executor.

Elderly and Vulnerable Clients

With old age come some new responsibilities to consider, as well as new challenges to face. At Kingsfords Solicitors, our specialist team take extra steps to support elderly and vulnerable clients with their legal needs.

We provide advice on a range of needs, including healthcare, managing finances and selling property. Our specialist team work carefully with clients who may be unable to take care of themselves alone, such as clients with learning difficulties or disabilities, as well as clients with declined mental capacity.

Members of our team belong to the Law Society’s Private Client Section, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE), including one member with a STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients, a testament to the excellent standard of client care we uphold.

Living Wills

A Living Will is a legal document that you can use to specify your wishes about any medical treatment that you may be administered if you lose mental capacity.

Our team are highly experienced in drafting and ensuring the upholding of Living Wills. We will have a conversation with you at your discretion to understand what procedures you feel are appropriate for the elderly healthcare you may someday receive, and then we will write a document that reflects these wishes.

The steps we can take include:

Drafting a clear Living Will accounting for all future medical needs
Specific directions relating to your wishes about life sustaining treatment
Providing copies to your GP
Circulating copies (at your request) with your family, care providers, and friends

Powers of Attorney

Powers of Attorney are the documents that empower you to decide who you’d like to assist you in managing your affairs. You’re able to appoint Powers of Attorney in the short term, long term, or a fixed period of time connected to a certain matter in question. One of our Power of Attorney solicitors and lawyers can help you select the right POA and ensure that you have the right setup in writing for them to help take care of you when necessary.

Probate and Estate Administration

Probate is the process of proving a Will, and it involves the valuation and administration of an estate, as well as the paying off of debts, funeral arrangements, contacting the beneficiaries, delivering the assets, and potentially navigating contentions. It can be a lot of responsibility placed on someone in a time of bereavement. That’s why it’s highly advisable that you contact a probate solicitor or lawyer in Kent who can use their regional knowledge combined with practice standard expertise to help you navigate this process.

Trusts

If you want to ensure that your assets are preserved for future generations, then you might consider establishing a Trust. We will manage all of the many elements that must be considered and use our years of expertise in Kent to set up a trust from scratch that is tailored to your needs as an individual.

Wills and Inheritance Tax Planning

Wills solicitors can help you plan for your family's future. There are many reasons why people often delay thinking about the eventuality of their passing, but there is security in taking charge of your future. Our team will help you make the most of testator law to benefit your loved ones when the time comes.

Our Wills services include the following:

Creating a Will
Updating your Will
Will disputes
Inheritance Tax advice
Nil Rate Band Discretionary Trusts
Life Interest Trusts in Wills
Home visits available on request

We also offer specialist services regarding Inheritance Tax planning, including helping you organise your estate in a tax friendly way and avoiding unfair inheritance tax.