Planning For Later Life

We all want to enjoy our later years with as much comfort and freedom as possible. But that can involve some difficult decisions for you and your family. Our legal and financial experts can help you plan ahead so you have the peace of mind to focus on what matters most to you.

It’s important to decide what will happen to your estate and to choose someone to make decisions for you if you lose mental capacity. Prepare for your future now and you can ensure that your needs are met, your wishes are respected, and your legacy is protected.

Our dedicated team of later life planning specialists can help you make sure that your estate is legally and financially secure. We’ll advise on managing your assets as efficiently as possible, both now and when you pass it on to the next generation.

We have the largest team of later life legal experts in the country, with more experience than you’ll find at any other law firm. And with offices all over the country, we’re here for you wherever you need us.

Our later life team can advise you and your family on:

Tax planning, including Inheritance Tax planning
Wealth management
Wills
Power of Attorney and deputyship
Trusts
Planning for care home fees
Property, including downsizing
Family law
Probate.

We also offer fixed-fee advice on a range of specific elements of later life planning to help you start– see our Later Life Packages page for more information.

The best time to start planning for the future is today. Call us today on 0370 1500 100 or contact us online to find out more about how we can help.

Later Life Packages

Our later life packages are a cost-effective and convenient way to start planning for a range of issues. For a fixed fee, you'll get a comprehensive information pack written by our solicitors and an in-depth legal consultation to go through any other questions you may have.

We can then put you in touch with the right experts to help you put your plans into action.

Attorneyship Support Package - Learn what you need to do if someone choose you to be their attorney
Deputyship Package - Guidance on how to fulfil your role as a deputy and make important decisions on behalf of a vulnerable loved one
Planning for Care Package - Care fees can quickly add up. Make sure you've saved enough so you can get the care you need.
Later Life Relationships Package - Prepare for the extra legal complications that often come with starting a new relationship in later life
Inheritance Tax Planning Package - Learn about organising your estate so your loved ones can get the most out of their inheritance
Pre-retirement Planning Package - Get your later life plans in place as early as possible with advice ranging from pensions to tax planning.

'One-stop shop' for both legal and financial planning advice

UK's largest team of later life planning experts

Offices in 15 locations across the country

Professional and confidential service

For general enquiries

0370 1500 100

Or we can call you back at a time of your choice

Phone lines are open 24/7, 365 days a year

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0370 1500 100

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Emma McCann Partner Meet the team

Planning For Later Life - More Information

Irwin Mitchell are a very professional, trustworthy and straightforward company to deal with. I would recommend them to anyone."

Frank Clayton, client

Elderly Care Crisis: A Tipping Point

"It’s never too late to start but the earlier you do the easier it is." - Richard Potts, CEO of IM Asset Management

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Estate Planning?

Estate planning is essential to make sure your wealth is structured as efficiently as possible.

We can help you:

Avoid paying unnecessary amounts of tax on your collective assets, or leaving your loved ones with a large tax bill after your death
Protect assets from divorce or financial difficulties
Make sure you have enough money once you stop working
Choose the right person to administer your estate
Appoint trustees to manage a trust you’ve set up for your children or other dependants – we can also act as trustees

Our solicitors and tax specialists will work with you to make sure your estate is structured in the best way to provide for your loved ones and give you peace of mind for the future.

Find out more on our Estate Planning page.

When Do You Need To Review Your Will?

Having an up-to-date Will is essential to make sure your plans for your estate reflect your current situation and include everyone you want to include.

Its good practice to recheck your Will every five years, especially to make sure it takes into account any changes in tax regulations that might affect you.

You should also review your Will following major life changes, for example if:

You get married or divorced
Any of your beneficiaries get married or die
New children or grandchildren are born who you want to inherit
There’s a significant change in your financial circumstances
You come into any inheritance – this could change the value of your estate and the Inheritance Tax payable

With our Wills Assured service, standard updates are free – so you don’t have to worry about paying extra fees to keep your Will fit for purpose. Find out more.

What Powers Does An Attorney Have?

An attorney only has the powers they are specifically granted in the terms of the LPA. It’s very important to word an LPA so that the attorney doesn’t have free reign, but so they are also able to make the decisions necessary to protect your best interests.

Depending on the terms of the LPA, an attorney might be able to:

Make investments
Make small gifts
Specify medical treatment.

For anything outside the terms of the LPA, they’ll need to apply to the Court of Protection, which looks after the affairs of vulnerable people who don’t have capacity to do it themselves.

Awards & Accreditations

We're always proud to be recognised for the work we do for our clients and have been named as a leading firm in the latest legal guides - which provide information and recommendations about lawyers and law firms in the UK