Coronavirus legal support hub
Wills, trusts and probate advice during Covid
The challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic continue to change on a daily basis. Our wealth management advice aims to provide you with all the latest news and information on your legal rights and issues to support you through this challenging situation.
GET LEGAL ADVICE AND SUPPORT
Contact our legal experts
At Tozers our specialist solicitors have the experience and expertise you need. With legal experts working in specialist fields across commercial, personal and specialist sectors. Call us now on 01392 207 020 or contact us online.
How can I put a Will in place?
Arranging and signing a Will relies heavily on face-to-face meetings between legal advisors and clients, needing the physical presence of the Will-maker and two witnesses to put the document in place at the end of the process. With the impacts of Coronavirus and lockdown the government has allowed changes to the usual process, where necessary, giving greater felxibility in how Wills can be put in place.
Under new legislation Wills can now be witnessed remotely through video calls until 31st January 2022. However the overriding advice given by the Ministry of Justice is that Wills should continue to be witnessed in person where possible.
At Tozers we are committed to doing whatever we can to help you, be that in person, over the phone, or via video chat.
How do I register a death at this time?
Registrars are currently registering deaths by telephone. You may be given a reference number to make a future appointment. A death should be registered within five days, but registration can be delayed for another nine days if the registrar is told that a medical certificate has been issued.
How can you deal with the deceased property and assets?
You will need to deal with the deceased person’s property, assets and liabilities: notifying banks, pension companies, insurers etc, identifying, declaring and collecting in assets, paying liabilities, and distributing to beneficiaries (‘administering the estate’).
You will need to allow extra time for any requests for information or finances to be processed. Many documents can now be submitted online, and many institutions now only accept bank transfer for payments.
I don’t want to leave the house, but I need someone to help with my banking/pension, what can I do?
A creative solution would be a self-isolation Power of Attorney. It is possible, under the law, for you to appoint another person to step into your shoes, either for all your financial matters or for a particular transaction. This document is known as a ‘Power of Attorney’.
Powers of Attorney come in many forms and there are even those which last if you lose mental capacity, known as ‘Lasting Powers of Attorney’.
As a simple, quick and efficient solution for you to cover a period of self-isolation, though, you may be interested in putting a ‘general’ Power of Attorney in place. This can be as limited as you want and can at least ensure that things keep running for you whilst you are confined at home.
In fact a general power of attorney can also help if you run a business and need someone to manage things in your absence, or if you are buying a house and want another to be empowered legally to deal with things for you.
GET LEGAL ADVICE AND SUPPORT
Contact our legal experts
At Tozers our specialist solicitors have the experience and expertise you need. With legal experts working in specialist fields across commercial, personal and specialist sectors. Call us now on 01392 207 020 or contact us online.