When a will is not enough…

A will is an important legal document—possibly the most important legal document. But does your will really meet your needs? A standard ‘mirror’ or ‘joint’ will does keep things nice and simple, but they also fail to protect what you’ve spent a lifetime building.

They often create a situation where the survivor of a couple is left owning everything and has everything to lose in their later years if they need to move into a care home or if they re-marry, for example. 

Including a trust in your will, such as a Property trust, could help protect what you’ve worked hard for as an inheritance for your loved ones. A Property Trust is often suitable for co-owners of a property—husband and wife or unmarried couples perhaps. When one of the couple passes away, their share of the home passes into a trust for the benefit of their loved ones.

The trust ensures their spouse/partner has the ability to live in the homerent-free for the rest of their life, and even sell and move if appropriate. But if the survivor required care, the trust protects the half a house from those care fees. If the survivor was to re-marry, the trust protects the half a house from passing to a new husband or wife. Because the half a house is in trust, it can’t be used to fund care fees, and can’t pass sideways to a new husband or wife. It is protected for the next generation.

There are other types of trusts and it is important you take advice as to which type best suits your circumstances. 

Through Reader’s Digest Legal, you can benefit from a free home visit to receive that advice in the comfort and privacy of your own home.

Take the first step and find out more about Reader’s Digest Legal by requesting your free information pack today. Call 0800 031 9516 and quote reference RDL18

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