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Wills, Probate & Estate Planning

Managing wealth, asset preservation, planning for succession and inheritance, and writing wills can be a complex and difficult experience. It's important to ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes and your family and successors lifestyles are maintained.

Alternatively, there may be other ways that you wish to dispose of your estate, for charitable and philanthropic reasons or to look after those who are unable to care for themselves.

Whatever you choose, it is important to seek the right advice to ensure your wishes are preserved. At Collas Crill we have experts in a number of jurisdictions to assist with wills, succession planning, inheritance matters and probate.

 

  • They are very effective at co-ordinating a case, very responsive and very easy to work with.
    Chambers and Partners 2020
Wills, Probate & Estate Planning services
Wills & Estate Planning
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Planning for the future is something that people often don't like to think about however it is one of the most important things that you should do during your lifetime. Whether you need simple Wills put in place or more complex estate structuring, our experienced and approachable team can help you organise and plan your affairs for the immediate and longer term future. We work hard to guide you through any issues of concern to ensure that you reach a position where you feel reassured that you are clear as to what will happen to your assets, and the ones you leave behind, in the future.

Probate & Estate Administration
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When executors, family or friends of a deceased need to get access to assets held by their loved one, they may be asked to produce a document commonly referred to as a 'grant of probate'. A grant of probate means that an individual is given the right, by the relevant court, to deal with a deceased's estate. The deceased may have left a will or may have died intestate (without a will). It might be the case that probate has already been obtained in another jurisdiction and that a separate grant of probate needs to be obtained in Guernsey or Jersey. This can be an unfamiliar and stressful process. At Collas Crill we have many years' experience in making these types of applications. We are able to assist in simply obtaining the grant of probate, can arrange release and payment of the Channel Island assets to the relevant person, or deal with the full administration of an estate depending on your requirements.

Contentious Wills, Estates & Probate
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We provide fast, cost-effective and sensitive advice on all manner of will related disputes during what is often an extremely upsetting and distressing time for those concerned. We regularly act on multi-party actions for both plaintiffs and defendants.

Guardianship, Delegates & Power of Attorney
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Depending upon your jurisdiction, guardianship, delegates and powers of attorney are useful tools in helping a party to deal with the financial affairs of another, whether that is paying bills, managing bank accounts or otherwise. If you need assistance dealing with your own affairs then a power of attorney may be appropriate. This will enable you to choose who can carry out any actions, and the extent to which they can take those decisions, on your behalf. If, however, it sadly becomes the case that an individual cannot handle their own affairs any longer then a guardian or delegate will be need to be appointed by the court to look after that individual's affairs. Whether you are choosing to give someone power to deal with your affairs, or you have a relative who can't deal with their own any longer, careful consideration needs to be given, and advice sought, to decide what route is most appropriate.

Insight 17 Mar 2023

Challenging inheritance claims

In a recent UK inheritance claim case (Fennessy v Turner & anr [2022] WTLR 1295), an adult child won an inheritance claim against his mother's estate. The disabled son...

Insight 7 Feb 2023

Lasting Legacy?

In January 2023, Collas Crill's International Private Client and Trusts team successfully applied to the Royal Court of Jersey (the Court) for an order confirming that our...

Insight 19 Jan 2023

The gift of life: Organ donation

Although many of us agree with the idea of organ donation, often, its importance only hits home when personal circumstances expose us to it. It is not surprising therefore...

News 13 Jan 2023

Jersey expands IPCT team

Collas Crill's Jersey office has expanded its International Private Client and Trusts (IPCT) team. Led by Partner Kellyann Ozouf, the team has recently welcomed Group...

News 12 Dec 2022

Advocates admitted to the Guernsey

Collas Crill Senior Associate Ben le Page and Associate Harry Round have been admitted to the Guernsey Bar. Ben joined Collas Crill as a paralegal and went on to train with...

News 1 Apr 2022

LPAs come into force in Guernsey

On 30 March 2022, the States of Deliberation approved the introduction of the Capacity (Lasting Powers of Attorney) (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Ordinance, 2022, meaning that...

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Guide 3 Feb 2022

Collas Crill contributes to Guernsey chapter of International Succession Laws 2020

This article was originally published by Bloomsbury Professional G8: Guernsey Fixed rights of inheritance Statement of succession laws and rights of inheritance G8.1 The...

Guide 26 Jun 2019

BVI Companies – A Flexible Vehicle for Succession Planning

The issue of succession may not be a primary consideration when incorporating a company in the BVI or indeed in any jurisdiction. However it is worthwhile, particularly in...

Guide 6 Nov 2018

Take Control of Your Future: Lasting Powers of Attorney and Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment

The Capacity and Self-Determination (Jersey) Law 2016 (the Law) came into force in October 2018, providing the legal framework to ensure individuals can 'take control' of...

Guide 12 Oct 2017

Death of Shareholder – BVI shares

Why do I need to probate the will? As a matter of BVI law, shares in a BVI company are BVI "situs" assets and are deemed to be located in the BVI. Generally, shares of a...

Guide 4 May 2017

Get to know Tina

Tina is a legal assistant within the Wills & Estates team. She is involved in obtaining grants for both testate and intestate estates, whether the deceased client is...

Guide 19 Apr 2017

The Road to Freedom

A review of landmark decision of Illot (Respondent) v The Blue Cross and others (Appellands) [2017] UKSC 17 As many people are aware, on 2 April 2012 Guernsey saw a...

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