Estate Planning & Wills

Nobody likes to think about death, particularly their own, however, making preparations for your death has many advantages.

Making a will and reviewing it on a regular basis is the only way you can guarantee that your wishes, within certain parameters set out by Jersey law, will be followed and that your estate is passed on according to your instructions.

If you die intestate (without making a will), the law will dictate how your estate is inherited and this may not be how you wanted to leave your assets. Your loved ones may also need to employ professionals to help them deal with the administration of your intestacy and thereby reduce the value of your estate. Obtaining estate planning and will making advice is therefore strongly advisable.

Seeking estate planning and will drafting advice is also particularly important if you are a parent of young children or a dependant. If you do not make a will, you will have no control over who will look after them should you die whilst they are still young or remain dependent upon you. The court will appoint someone as guardian who you may not have chosen yourself. If you make a will, you can appoint a guardian of your choice to look after your children until they reach the age of majority, which is currently 18.

Our experienced private client team offers careful and tailored estate planning advice and can guide you through the process of writing or updating a will, helping you to ensure that your assets and possessions are left to the people and organisations you want to benefit after you die. Our team also offers advice in relation to joint and solely owned assets, stamp duty queries, complex family arrangements and potential forced heirship claims.