My name is Michael Cotterill, and I am a professional Devon Will Writer. What does an average day look like for me?
Although no two days are the same, I outline below some common occurrences.
Of course, taking client instructions then creating their resulting Wills and Will documentation is part of most days. Most people are already aware of terms including “Executors” and “Beneficiaries” however a great many have not previously considered choosing substitutes in case their primary choices are unable or unwilling to act as Executors or have predeceased them. Also, issues such as guardianship for minor children, pet care and asset protection for surviving spouse and vulnerable beneficiaries are also important.
The concept of Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is also increasingly prevalent, with “Instructions” and “Preferences” clearly stated in the documentation being of the utmost importance. To prevent attorneys from encountering red tape and bureaucracy, it is vital to clarify as many different rules and guidelines for attorneys, so that they are abundantly clear as to what they should and should not do when acting to serve your best interests.
A very enjoyable aspect of my work is providing services which tangibly reduce the amount of money people must pay after a death or during ill health. Very often, I am approached by an Executor of a Will after they have been quoted thousands of pounds in fees by a solicitor to obtain a Grant of Probate for a deceased person’s estate for instance. After I charge them a maximum of £600.00, people often comment about how they didn’t even know people like me exist.
A similar principle applies for Care Funding. So often I meet people with an elderly or infirm relative or friend. Frighteningly, a great many of such people are paying for care which they should be receiving free under the NHS. Others are paying fully for residential care when they should either be merely contributing towards the cost, or even not paying at all. Just last week, an elderly client whose residential property was being claimed by a local authority to pay for his care, successfully had the property “disregarded” for care fees, and its value will now remain within the family as a result.
Although I a Devon Will Writer, I carry out such work for clients all over England & Wales, as well as expatriates across the World.
Please refer to our Wills in Devon website for full details.
TRF Wills (TRF) was created by Michael Cotterill in 2005. He is a member of the Society of Will Writers and registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.