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Wills and Powers of Attorney Solicitors
Making a Will or Lasting Power of Attorney is one of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself, your family and your wishes for the future.
Many people put these documents off because life feels straightforward, they do not think they have many assets, or they assume their family would automatically be able to deal with everything if something happened.
Unfortunately, without the right legal documents in place, loved ones can be left facing uncertainty, delay, stress and difficult decisions at an already emotional time.
At Watkins Solicitors, our Wills and Powers of Attorney team provides clear, practical and supportive advice to help you plan ahead with confidence.
We advise clients across England and Wales, with offices in Bristol, Bath and Hereford. As a multi-award-winning law firm founded in 1998, Watkins Solicitors has built a strong reputation for providing clear, practical and supportive advice to individuals and families. Our team can help you put the right arrangements in place for the people you love.
To speak to our team, please call 0117 939 0350 or email info@watkinssolicitors.co.uk.
Plain English guidance tailored to your circumstances and wishes.
Sensitive and practical support for personal family decisions.
An experienced, multi-award-winning law firm supporting individuals and families.
Advice for clients nationwide, with offices in Bristol, Bath and Hereford.
Together, these documents can help make sure your wishes are understood, your loved ones are protected and the people you trust are able to act when needed.
They are not only for later life or complicated estates. They are important documents for anyone who wants to make things clearer and easier for their family.
A Will and a Lasting Power of Attorney protect you and your family at different stages. A Will records what should happen after your death, while a Lasting Power of Attorney allows trusted people to help make decisions during your lifetime.
A Will sets out what should happen to your estate and who should deal with your affairs after your death.
A Lasting Power of Attorney allows people you trust to make decisions for you if you need help or are unable to make those decisions yourself.
Many people choose to put both documents in place because they provide protection for different circumstances.
A Will allows you to decide what should happen to your money, property, possessions and personal belongings after your death.
Without a valid Will, the law decides who inherits from your estate. This may not reflect your wishes or your family circumstances.
A Lasting Power of Attorney, often called an LPA, is a legal document that allows you to appoint one or more trusted people to make decisions for you if you are unable to make decisions yourself.
The person making the LPA is called the donor. The person appointed to act is called the attorney.
An LPA can only be made while you still have mental capacity, which is why it is important to plan ahead before help is urgently needed.
A Will or LPA can be important even if life feels straightforward. A major life change is often a good time to make new arrangements or review documents you already have.
Make sure your property and wishes are properly considered.
Consider guardianship, inheritance and longer-term family arrangements.
Unmarried partners do not have the same automatic inheritance rights as spouses or civil partners.
Marriage or civil partnership can affect an existing Will.
Review who should inherit and who you want to deal with your affairs.
Clear planning can help protect children, stepchildren and a new partner.
Consider how business interests should be managed or passed on.
Review arrangements following changes to savings, pensions, investments or property.
Plan who you would trust to help with financial, health or welfare decisions.
Early advice can help a parent put an LPA in place while they still have capacity.
Clear documents can reduce stress and difficult decisions for your family.
Review them after major changes to your family, property or finances.
Planning ahead can make a real difference to the people you love.
Our team can advise on a wide range of future planning matters and help you choose the documents that suit your circumstances.
We can prepare a legally valid Will that reflects your wishes and family circumstances.
This may include advice on executors, beneficiaries, guardians, property, unmarried partners, blended families and specific gifts.
We can review your existing Will and advise whether it should be updated.
A review is particularly important after marriage, divorce, separation, having children, buying property or financial changes.
If you have children under 18, your Will can appoint guardians to care for them if you die before they become adults.
This is one of the most important reasons for parents to make a Will.
Unmarried partners do not automatically have the same inheritance rights as spouses or civil partners.
A Will can help protect your partner and make your wishes clear.
We advise on preparing and registering Property and Financial Affairs LPAs and Health and Welfare LPAs.
We can also advise on choosing attorneys, replacement attorneys and how the documents work.
This LPA can allow your attorney to help with money, property, bank accounts, bills, pensions and other financial matters.
It can be particularly important if you own property or have savings.
This LPA can allow your attorney to make decisions about care, medical treatment, where you live and your personal welfare.
It helps ensure that people who know you and understand your wishes can be involved in important decisions.
If someone has already lost mental capacity without an LPA, it may be necessary to apply for a Deputyship Order.
We can advise families on the options and guide them through the process.
We can advise on recording wishes about future medical treatment, care preferences and personal wishes.
These documents can sit alongside a Health and Welfare LPA as part of wider future planning.
Our team can talk through your circumstances and explain the options clearly before you decide how to proceed.
Watkins Solicitors advises individuals and families across England and Wales, with offices in Bristol, Bath and Hereford.
We understand that conversations about Wills, capacity and future planning can feel personal and sometimes difficult. Our approach is warm, clear and practical.
We take the time to understand your circumstances, explain your options in plain English and help you put the right documents in place.
Whether you are planning for yourself, supporting a parent, updating documents after a life change or making arrangements for your children, our team can help.
Watkins Solicitors is a multi-award-winning law firm with more than 50 staff across offices in Bristol, Bath and Hereford. Founded in 1998, the firm has built a strong reputation for clear, practical and client-focused advice.
Our team understands that Wills and Powers of Attorney are about much more than paperwork. They are about family, reassurance and making sure the people you trust are able to help when it matters most.
We provide supportive advice tailored to your circumstances, helping you make informed decisions with confidence.
We will guide you through each stage and explain what is needed in clear, practical terms.
Contact us by phone or email. We will take some initial details and discuss the support you need.
We will discuss your family, wishes, assets and any concerns you may have.
We will explain your options in plain English and advise on the right documents for you.
We will prepare the documents and guide you through signing and registration where needed.
We can advise when your documents should be reviewed or updated after major life changes.
Select any question below to read the answer. More than one answer can remain open at the same time.
Yes, a Will can still be important even if your estate is modest. It allows you to choose who inherits, appoint executors and make your wishes clear.
If you die without a valid Will, the law decides who inherits from your estate. This may not reflect your wishes or your family circumstances.
Not automatically. Unmarried partners do not have the same automatic inheritance rights as spouses or civil partners. If you want your partner to inherit, you should make a Will.
You can appoint guardians for children under 18 in your Will. This allows you to set out who you would trust to care for your children if you were no longer here.
You should review your Will regularly and after major life changes, including marriage, divorce, separation, having children, buying property or changes in your financial circumstances.
A Lasting Power of Attorney allows you to appoint trusted people to make decisions for you if you are unable to make decisions yourself.
Many people choose to make both a Property and Financial Affairs LPA and a Health and Welfare LPA so trusted people can help with both financial and welfare decisions if needed.
Not always. Even close family members may not automatically have authority to manage your finances or make certain decisions. An LPA can give chosen people legal authority to act.
You can help your parent make an LPA, but you cannot make one for them. Your parent must have mental capacity and must choose to make the document themselves.
It may be necessary to apply to the Court of Protection for a Deputyship Order. This can take longer and be more complicated than having an LPA in place in advance.
The cost will depend on the documents required and the complexity of your circumstances. We can discuss this with you at the outset so you understand the likely costs before proceeding.
If you would like advice about making a Will, preparing a Lasting Power of Attorney, updating existing documents or helping a loved one who has lost capacity, please contact our friendly team.
We advise clients across England and Wales, with offices in Bristol, Bath and Hereford.
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