Haines Watts

Wills, trusts and estate planning

It’s crucial to get your business and financial affairs in order to ensure your wishes can be fulfilled as you would have wanted on the event of your death. Without pre-planning your family could risk facing a hefty inheritance tax (IHT) bill.

Estate planning is vital to ensure your business and personal assets are protected and passed on to your beneficiaries in the most tax efficient way and the way you intended.

Haines Watts can better advise you on your estate planning needs.  We understand your business, your family and the most tax efficient way to pass your assets onto the next generation.

Probate services 

Probate is an area that must be faced in the event of someone’s death. It can be a difficult and stressful process given the emotional circumstances of a loved one passing away.

Knowing the probate process is in the hands of your accountant who has provided you with life-long financial advice and understands your business and personal financial affairs will make the whole process a lot easier.

Why use Haines Watts trust, estate and probate services?

We'll make the whole estate planning and probate process plain sailing for you and your family.

For uncontested cases, we’re better equipped to deal with your probate matters than banks and the legal profession. Not only can we offer a much quicker and more cost-effective service, but our tax expertise and understanding of your financial affairs can help us to reduce your Inheritance Tax (IHT) liability.

The fact is, solicitors will usually consult us, your accountants, when dealing with your financial and tax issues during the probate process – so it makes sense to cut out the middle man and cut out the unnecessary extra cost.

The benefits of us handling your probate are:

• We have existing relationship and knowledge of your finances
• We often have contact with and knowledge of the wider family
• We have deep understanding of IHT, and will evaluate all available reliefs and exemptions
• Fixed fees

Our fees in comparison to the market:

- Banks 5% of the death estate

- Solicitors 3-4% of the death estate

- Haines Watts 1.5% of the death estate

(London 0.5% on land and buildings plus 1.5% on remaining assets)

Our probate specialist services

• Preparing estate accounts
• Calculating inheritance tax position to
• Completing of the IHT400 form
• Calculating any Inheritance liabilities
• Agreeing IHT liability with HMRC
• Claiming any relevant tax reliefs or exemptions applicable to the estate
• Obtaining Grant of Probate
• Ensuring payment of any outstanding tax from estate
• Estate administration and dealing with third parties
• Distributing estate assets
• Advising in respect of any post-death variations to the estate
• Reviewing investment and other tax planning opportunities
• Unlimited telephone and email support throughout the probate process