Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts

Wills
Probate
Trusts
Powers of Attorney
Court of Protection
Helping with disputes

Wills
Probate
Trusts
Powers of Attorney
Court of Protection
Helping with disputes

Wills and succession planning

Whatever your background our experienced lawyers have the relevant knowledge and understanding of the issues which you face to provide pragmatic and sensible advice to meet your objectives and address your concerns

If you die without a Will, you are unable to control how your estate passes which can create uncertainty and hardship for those nearest to you as well as expense. You are never too young to think about your succession plans. Having a will protects the interests of your loved ones, allowing you to direct your finances, property and possessions to those individuals or charitable organisations you wish to benefit.

Key contact:

Gregory White

[email protected]

+44 (0)20 8940 4051

Our Private Client team

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | Notarial Services | The Team | Gregory White | Our Story

Gregory White

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Abigail Pfister

Abigail Pfister

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Paul Denza

Paul Denza

Private Client department
[email protected]

Nikhita Lakhani

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Marnie Stubbs

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Mia Veale

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Sabrina Caldeira

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Shaun'Tay Saunders

Shaun’Tay Saunders

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sofia Williams

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sophie Woodhead

Private Client department
[email protected]

Probate and administration of estates

As experienced estate administration solicitors, we offer a compassionate response along with specialised expertise to achieve efficient succession
Those named in a deceased person’s Will as the executors have an onerous role and responsibility to ensure that correct procedures. This frequently involves registering the death, organising and paying for the funeral, securing property, notifying a host of institutions, valuing personal belongings with a view to preparing the detailed application to obtain the grant of probate of a Will. There are usually a series of compliance and regulatory issues to attend to. If someone dies and no Will has been located, we will advise you about how to navigate a person who is deemed to have died intestate. Contact our private client team today to help start the process.

Key contact:

Gregory White

[email protected]

+44 (0)20 8940 4051

Our Private Client team

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | Notarial Services | The Team | Gregory White | Our Story

Gregory White

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Abigail Pfister

Abigail Pfister

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Paul Denza

Paul Denza

Private Client department
[email protected]

Nikhita Lakhani

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Marnie Stubbs

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Mia Veale

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Sabrina Caldeira

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Shaun'Tay Saunders

Shaun’Tay Saunders

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sofia Williams

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sophie Woodhead

Private Client department
[email protected]

Trusts

We pride ourselves on being able to offer competent advice in relation to effective management of wealth and addressing compliance and regulatory issues
Many people will come into contact at some point in their lives with a trust. Trusts are frequently misunderstood and often seen as something the effects a minority of the population. Nevertheless, a trust is a simple concept. A trust is the formal transfer of usually property, shares or cash to a small group of people (usually two or three) with instructions to look after the assets for the benefit of others. Trusts are occasionally represented as devices to avoid tax although we frequently comment that there are virtually no circumstances in which anyone would be advised to set up a trust purely to gain tax benefits. The key attractions are, instead, the ability of trusts to ensure that assets will ultimately be used in a certain way while allowing flexibility in how those assets are managed before they are distributed. That flexibility is particularly useful in an international context. Contact our private client team today to help address your trust queries.

Key contact:

Gregory White

[email protected]

+44 (0)20 8940 4051

Our Private Client team

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | Notarial Services | The Team | Gregory White | Our Story

Gregory White

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Abigail Pfister

Abigail Pfister

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Paul Denza

Paul Denza

Private Client department
[email protected]

Nikhita Lakhani

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Marnie Stubbs

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Mia Veale

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Sabrina Caldeira

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Shaun'Tay Saunders

Shaun’Tay Saunders

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sofia Williams

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sophie Woodhead

Private Client department
[email protected]

Power of Attorney

Our private client team provides practical and innovative solutions to help you decide if powers of attorney are suitable for you in terms of forward planning
A power of attorney can be a sensible official legal document to organise if you wish to plan for others to be able to make decisions for you if you are unable to during your lifetime. Having a property and financial affairs lasting power of attorney in place can ensure trustworthy family or friends can make decisions about how your property and affairs are managed on a day-to-day basis. A health and welfare lasting power of attorney allows you to have attorney(s) in place to make decisions regarding your health and care if you did not have the mental capacity to make these decisions. Lasting powers of attorney create certainty for family members and close friends and avoid the costly expense of a Court of Protection application. Contact our private client team today to help start the process.

Key contact:

Gregory White

[email protected]

+44 (0)20 8940 4051

Our Private Client team

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | Notarial Services | The Team | Gregory White | Our Story

Gregory White

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Abigail Pfister

Abigail Pfister

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Paul Denza

Paul Denza

Private Client department
[email protected]

Nikhita Lakhani

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Marnie Stubbs

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Mia Veale

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Sabrina Caldeira

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Shaun'Tay Saunders

Shaun’Tay Saunders

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sofia Williams

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sophie Woodhead

Private Client department
[email protected]

Court of Protection

Our team has extensive experience dealing with Court of Protection and Attorneyship matters to ensure the rights of vulnerable people are protected.

The Court of Protection deals with matters concerning individuals who lack the mental capacity to make financial or welfare decisions for themselves.

Their responsibilities include:

  1. Mental Capacity Assessments: The court determines whether an individual has the mental capacity to make specific decisions, such as managing finances or consenting to medical treatment.
  2. Appointing Deputies: If someone lacks mental capacity and has not made a Lasting Power of Attorney, the court can appoint a deputy to make decisions on their behalf. This could involve managing their finances, property, or personal welfare.
  3. Medical Treatment Decisions: The court may be involved in decisions about medical treatment for individuals who cannot consent for themselves.
  4. Property and Financial Affairs: The court oversees the management of finances and property for protected persons, ensuring that their assets are used in their best interests.
  5. Disputes and Applications: The court hears cases where there are disagreements about decisions affecting protected persons or where applications need to be made regarding their welfare or finances.

Key contact:

Gregory White

[email protected]

+44 (0)20 8940 4051

Our Private Client team

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | Notarial Services | The Team | Gregory White | Our Story

Gregory White

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Abigail Pfister

Abigail Pfister

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Paul Denza

Paul Denza

Private Client department
[email protected]

Nikhita Lakhani

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Marnie Stubbs

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Mia Veale

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sabrina Caldeira profile photo

Sabrina Caldeira

Private Client department
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | The Team | Shaun'Tay Saunders

Shaun’Tay Saunders

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sofia Williams

Private Client department
[email protected]

Sophie Woodhead

Private Client department
[email protected]

Helping with disputes

Dixon Ward are experienced in contentious and non-contentious private client with the ability to provide bespoke legal advice, support and practical solutions to this often challenging area of law.

Disputes can sometimes arise in the process of administering a deceased person’s estate, even with a will in place. This can involve disagreements over the validity of a will or claims or undue influence, disputes regarding inheritance rights or the distribution of assets as well as challenges to the appointment of executors or administrators.

Contentious probate cases can often be emotionally charged, especially where they involve family members and beneficiaries contesting the deceased's intentions or the actions of those responsible for handling the estate. Resolving these disputes may require court intervention, mediation, or robust negotiation to ensure a fair and just distribution of the deceased person's assets.

Key contacts:

Dixon Ward | Business & Employment Law | Dispute Resolution | Leasehold Enfranchisement |Rob Horler| Our Story

Rod Horler

Business Law & Employment / Dispute Resolution
[email protected]

Dixon Ward | Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate & Trusts | Notarial Services | The Team | Gregory White | Our Story

Gregory White

Private Client department
[email protected]

Meet the rest of the team

We are a small team, with big firm expertise. Good legal advice should not be a one size fits all experience, which is why we do things differently.
Learn more

Wills, Trusts & Probate insights

Probate Charges

Why Make a Will?

1. Avoid Intestacy rules 2. Tax planning 3. Choose your Executors and Trustees 4. Funeral instructions 5. Peace of mind   1. Avoid Intestacy rules There are many reasons why it is sensible...

How to make a Will

1. Instructing a solicitor 2. Information we require 3. Signing 4. Updating 5. Storage   1. Instructing a solicitor A Will is an important document which must comply with certain legal...

Inheritance Tax

A. EXEMPT TRANSFERS Provided these gifts satisfy the following conditions they are completely exempt from Inheritance Tax.   1. Small Gifts A Donor may make any number of gifts of up to a...

Normal Expenditure out of Income Exemption

What is the Normal Expenditure out of Income Exemption? In our experience many clients are unaware of the normal expenditure out of income exemption which is a very useful exemption allowing an...

10 Tips for Digital Estate Planning

Giving thought in your lifetime to your digital assets and digitally stored information can help your Executors with the administration of your estate. Here are 10 tips to consider for digital...

Digital Afterlife

Digital afterlife Most people, when making their Wills, do not give digital assets any thought. However, the majority of people in the UK own some sort of digital asset, be it an online bank...

Lifetime Discretionary Trusts

Please note that these notes are in no way intended to be exhaustive. Their purpose is to give clients some insight into the nature of a discretionary trust and the work involved in the creation...

Lasting Powers of Attorney – Health and Welfare

What is a HW LPA? A Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare (HW LPA) is a legal document by which you (the Donor) can appoint one or more persons (the Attorney) to make personal welfare...

A guide for personal representatives (executors)

At the outset The role of the personal representative arises when someone who has died has named you in their Will as an executor. Personal representatives are also those individuals entrusted...

A guide for beneficiaries

What is the residue? The residue is what remains in an estate after paying any tax due, the deceased’s debts together with any cash legacies in the Will including specific gifts. In most Wills...

UK Trusts and FATCA

What is FATCA? FATCA (The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) was introduced in the United States in 2010 to ensure their citizens were fully disclosing their worldwide income to the US Internal...

Get in touch

Simply fill in the form on the right and we’ll put you in touch with the right person. However, if you would rather email, you can do so at: [email protected]

If you would prefer to speak to someone on the phone, you can reach our team on: 020 8940 4051

You can also visit us at our offices on Richmond Green:
Dixon Ward, 16 The Green, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1QD

Please note we do not use the DX

Our reception is open 09:00 - 17:30, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays).

Gregory White & Abigail Pfister are the
accredited Lifetime Lawyers at Dixon Ward

10 + 15 =

Dixon Ward | Contact | Map