13 May 2026
Inheritance conversations before the solicitor draft
Wills and trusts work better when the family has already named guardians, discussed the family home, and clarified who knows where documents live.
Financial advice does not replace a solicitor. It does prepare you for a clearer instruction meeting. Families who arrive at the solicitor with unresolved guardian choices or unspoken expectations about the family home often stall for months.
We ask clients to list people who depend on them financially, people who would manage affairs if they could not, and assets that carry emotional weight beyond their market value — farmland, a coastal cottage, a share in a family company.
Life cover and expression-of-wish forms on pensions often move money outside the will. Matching those nominations to the intended estate plan avoids accidental double provision or accidental omission. We review nominations alongside the will outline, then send clients to a solicitor for drafting.
For blended families, clarity beats cleverness. A simple letter of wishes that explains why one child receives a larger share of a business interest can prevent years of friction later, even when the legal structure is already sound.
If inheritance planning is on your mind, start with a Protection & Family Cover Review or fold the conversation into a Comprehensive Wealth Review. Come ready to talk about people and places, not only percentages.