At the point of writing there are 15 weeks until Christmas. This means that there is more than enough time for you to have your Will drafted and signed before the end of the year. I appreciate that this probably isn’t the most exciting job on your to do list, but it is certainly one that you should make a priority.

Unfortunately, due to severe delays with the Office of the Public Guardian, 15 weeks is not long enough to have your Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) registered and returned. These delays shouldn’t be something that make you put off arranging your LPAs, quite the opposite in fact. The sooner you can get your application submitted the better.

This year has seen a huge rise in the public becoming more aware of the importance of getting their affairs in order, I think it is safe to assume that this is a knock-on effect of the pandemic. That said, I still often hit a brick wall with people insisting that they don’t need to make their Will or arrange LPA’s anytime soon.

I have sadly spoken to two clients (both of whom gave me permission to let their story be a warning to others), who I met with along with their spouses prior to the pandemic who decided to hold off for a while. Since then, their spouses have passed away meaning that they died intestate which has made life much harder for my surviving clients than it needed to be.

The process of writing your Will and arranging your Powers of Attorney shouldn’t be a daunting process and it is important that you understand the documents that you are signing. Our aim is to always make sure that our clients feel confident with the decisions they make and understand the implications of them.

For more information on Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney please contact me on 01903 821010 or via email emma.wells@nsure.co.uk