FAQS
Answers to frequently ask questions from our clients.
Below are answers to frequently asked questions to help you better understand Officium Legacy and how our strategic advisory services support long-term legacy planning.
Estate planning is the process of arranging your financial affairs and assets—such as property, investments, and personal belongings—to ensure your wishes are honoured after you pass away or lose capacity. It often involves wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and tax planning.
No. Estate planning is for everyone. Whether you’re passing down modest assets, planning guardianship for children, or protecting assets from care costs or potential financial challenges, a plan benefits all.
Costs vary depending on complexity. Simple wills start at a few hundred pounds. More detailed plans—incorporating trusts, inheritance tax strategies, or business succession—cost more. Packages and hourly rates apply.
A will is a legal document specifying how to distribute your assets after death and naming guardians for children under 18.
A trust is a legal structure allowing you to place assets under the care of a trustee for beneficiaries. Trusts can protect against situations like marriage breakdowns, care fees, or inheritance tax burdens.
Trusts protect the inheritance of spouses, children, or grandchildren. They can shield assets from divorcing partners, misuse, or high care costs, and allow tax-efficient transfers.
Remarriage or divorce affecting beneficiaries
Sideways disinheritance – marriage after death
Care home costs
Generational inheritance tax charges (currently up to 40%)
Creditors or bankruptcy
An LPA lets you appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf—either financial/property matters or health/welfare—if you lose mental capacity.
Yes. Without one, there’s no guarantee loved ones can act in your place if you’re incapacitated. The Court of Protection must be involved otherwise, which is slower and costlier.
If you own a business, estate planning helps you ensure a smooth transition—passing ownership or management to the next generation or new leadership.
Yes. Strategies such as leaving assets into trusts, using exemptions or reliefs (e.g. business or agricultural property relief) can significantly reduce or eliminate IHT liability.
Review your will and estate plan whenever you experience major life changes: marriage, divorce, birth, death, inheritance, serious illness, or moving abroad.
You can, but DIY plans often lack tailored advice, risk inconsistencies, and may be legally invalid. Professional expertise ensures safety, enforceability, and suitability for your real-world situation.
Officium Legacy advisers are professionally trained with legal qualifications, qualifications in Estate Planning, with backgrounds in legal and financial sectors.
Without a plan:
Your estate may go through intestacy (default law-based rules)
Loved ones may miss out on inheritance
No one will have legal authority in case of incapacity
Your estate may attract higher taxes, care costs, or legal disputes
No, estate planning itself is not currently a regulated activity in the UK. This means anyone can technically offer estate planning services, including drafting wills and recommending trusts.
Regulated Aspects:
Legal advice: Only solicitors regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) can provide legal advice.
Tax advice: In-depth inheritance tax planning may fall under the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) if it involves regulated financial products (like life insurance in trust).
Trust and probate services: If these involve reserved legal activities (e.g. applying for probate), they may require registration with appropriate bodies like the Institute of Professional Will writers (IPW), STEP, or the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
Want something more comprehensive?
Purchase our full Estate Planning Fact Find to get a full bespoke report about what you need.
Our Estate Planning Client Journey
01
free consultation
We start with a complimentary consultation to understand your needs and objectives. This allows us to provide clear, tailored guidance from the outset.
02
Onboarding
Once our services are agreed, we’ll onboard you as a client and go through a simple fact find to gather information such as your beneficiaries, and executors.
03
Document creation
Our team will then draft your documents using our specialist software ready for you to review.
04
Review
Draft copies of your documents will be sent to you via email for you to double check the information and spelling are correct.
05
Signing & Storage
Our documents will then be printed on official paper and sent to you for signing along with signing instructions. If you have paid for storage you will be given instructions on where to send your completed documents.