"No One Wants To Talk About It" We Offer Free No Obligation Advice

Sadly we all have to face up to arranging a funeral at some point in our life and some brave souls may even want to plan their own in advance.

I have worked as a funeral planner and now I work alongside Ian as a funeral director offering funeral arrangements.

I understand that no one "wants to talk about it" but the families I have worked with always say I wished I had planned ahead and it "wouldn't have been so stressful" and "we could have managed it better".

There are lots of areas for discussion including what type of Service, Music, Flowers, Donations, Wake/Food, Relatives, Friends, Cars, Notices.The one area rarely discussed is cost and so often people never compare and just accept what the local funeral director quotes or believe the Coop must be the best price.

I am happy to have a chat with you and your family about funerals in advance or at the time of the arrangements. 

I will arrange a visit to your home at your convenience (day or evening).

I offer this service without any obligation to use our services.

Please call me on 0161 282 8157 or email Hugh@hughobrienfuneralservices.com

My aim is to help people arrange the perfect send off for their loved one.

Bereavement: Funeral Payments

The Social Fund is a government scheme to help people on a low income with emergency expenses.

You qualify for a Funeral Payment if you or your partner are getting any of the following benefits:

Income Support
income-related Employment and Support Allowance
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Pension Credit
Housing Benefit
Council Tax Support.

Some people who get Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit also qualify. If your partner dies, you may qualify for these benefits.

If you require a funeral payment it has to be agreed that it is reasonable for you to be responsible for the funeral and that there is no one else who should be paying for it.

If you are claiming for the funeral of your child or partner, you can be paid a Funeral Payment as long as you meet the other qualifying conditions. This applies to lesbian, gay and heterosexual partners. It also applies whether you were married, in a civil partnership or just living together.

If you are a close relative, family member or a friend of the person who has died, you may be able to get a Funeral Payment, but this will depend whether there are other relatives alive who are not on benefit. If there is someone closer or equally close to the person who has died who is not getting benefits, you cannot usually get a Funeral Payment. In this situation, the benefits office will also consider whether it is reasonable for you to accept responsibility for the funeral expenses. They will look at how well you knew the person who has died.

How much does it pay?

There is no fixed sum for a Funeral Payment. It covers necessary burial or cremation fees, certain other expenses like the cost of a journey to arrange the funeral and up to £700 for other costs such as the funeral director's fees, the coffin or flowers. However, only up to £120 can be paid in total if the person who died had a pre-paid funeral plan.

If the Funeral Payment does not cover the full necessary costs of the funeral, you may be able to apply for a Budgeting Loan as well.

If the person who died had a pre-paid funeral plan, you will only get help for items not already covered by the plan.

The payment does not usually have to be repaid, however, if the person who died left money to you in their estate, this might have to be used to pay back the Funeral Payment.

How do I make a claim?

In England and Wales, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Bereavement Service allows you to report a death to the DWP in a single phone call. This allows you to stop any DWP benefits the person who died was getting.

At the same time, the Bereavement Service can do a benefit check to find out if you can claim any benefits and take a claim for bereavement benefits or a Funeral Payment over the phone.

The contact details of the DWP Bereavement Service are:
Tel: 0845 606 0265
Textphone: 0845 606 0285
Tel: 0845 606 0275 (Welsh)
Textphone: 0845 606 0295 (Welsh).

If you want to make a claim for a Funeral Payment yourself:

Contact your local Jobcentre Plus Office for a claim form

Download a claim form from the Department for Work and Pensions website


In Northern Ireland

There is a Bereavement Service in Northern Ireland which allows you to report the death of someone receiving Social Security benefits. They will then:

Record the date of death and notify each office that paid benefit to the deceased person
Offer you an eligibility check to see if you are eligible for any benefits. If you are eligible for bereavement benefits, the service can take the information for your application over the phone and forward this to the relevant office.
You can phone the service on 0800 085 2463. See the NI Direct website for more information on the Northern Ireland Bereavement Service

Phone your local Social Security/Jobs and Benefits Office for a claim form

Download a claim form from the NI Direct website

What documents will I need?

You need to send in all the bills or invoices for the funeral costs. You also have to give information about financial circumstances, for instance, whether the person who has died had a pre-paid funeral plan.


Challenging decisions

If you disagree with the decision made on your claim you can ask for it to be looked at again, and/or appeal.

The time limits are strict, you will usually be given one month to dispute a decision, so it is important to seek advice and act quickly.

See the Department for Work and Pensions Guide to the Social Fund for more information.

Funerals are available at a fair cost in Greater Manchester and Cheshire: http://www.cremationservicesdirect.co.uk/ and http://hughobrienfuneralservices.com/

Acknowledgement: Reference for the key information:
 http://www.turn2us.org.uk/information__resources/benefits/social_fund/funeral_payments.aspx

Cremation Services Direct: Offer Funerals at £1895

Our aim is to provide high quality cremation services at a price every family can afford: £1895

Our service includes:

Collection of your loved one from Hospital or Hospice
Transfer to our Chapel of Rest
All Doctor’s and Cremation Fees
Oak Veneer Coffin and Plaque
Hearse
Music and Ceremony (45 minutes)
Chapel of Rest Viewing  (9.00am – 17.00 Monday – Friday)

www.CremationServicesDirect.co.uk

Tel: 0161 282 8157

All the arrangements will be made in your home at a time that is best for you.

I believe that a family funeral is one of the most difficult times you will face in your journey through life. That is why our service will be the best possible.

We guarantee that our cost will always be reasonable and competitive.

Extra Help with the cost of the Funeral:
You could get help in the form of a Funeral Payment if you are on a low income and need help to pay for the arrangements.

How much you get depends on your circumstances and if you qualify.

* Please note the following conditions:

Full payment in advance
Limousine £150 extra
Clergy including Humanist:  £150 extra (We can provide a Minster or you can arrange directly)
We can also provide a choice of 3 bouquets at sensible prices.
We can produce a Order of Service at a cost of £75 for a qty of 40.




TESTIMONIALS

“Thanks so much for all that you did ensuring my brother’s funeral was everything we could have wanted for him. The day ran very smoothly which was all due to your organisation and expertise. Gail and the children have asked me to thank you for kindness and would not hesitate in recommending your services to any family or friends in the future”.

Steve Dillon, Heaton Moor


* * *


“I can’t thank you and your staff enough for all your kindness and attention to detail”.

Simon & Diane, Manchester

                    

Cremation Services Direct

Many people are concerned about the ever growing price of funerals. Well, I have researched and concluded that a great deal of the cost is down to the greed of funeral directors.

We have now launched a funeral service at a fair price of £1895 across Greater Manchester and Cheshire. For more details please check:

http://www.cremationservicesdirect.co.uk/

Hugh O'Brien Funeral Services

Hugh O'Brien Funeral Services offers traditional and natural funerals across South Manchester and Cheshire.

Hugh offers a unique family service, providing all the positive elements of a traditional funeral director with a friendly understanding of all your needs at this sad time.

The arrangements are carried out by our small dedicated team with a caring and compassionate manner at a fair cost to your family.

Hugh O'Brien Funeral Services are able to offer greater flexibility allowing you to personalise the funeral.

The intention is always to be clear so the family have a complete understanding of the service provided as the day has to be special for your loved one.

Hugh has been trained to the highest professional standards and will offer his own personal attention to manage your every need.

With a dedicated team of professional, caring staff Hugh O'Brien Funeral Services offer the highest quality funerals in South Manchester and Cheshire.

The Testimonials have shown that families receive a genuinely caring, high quality service at a fair price.

"I am able to offer the highest level of personal service in a friendly and compassionate manner. As an independent funeral service provider, I can plan the funeral to suit the needs and wishes of your family.”

Hugh O’Brien Funeral Services covers all areas across Cheshire and Greater Manchester including the Four Heatons, Reddish, Stockport, Bramhall , Cheadle, Didsbury , Burnage and Levenshulme.

Please contact Hugh@hughobrienfuneralservices.com

www.HughOBrienFuneralServices.com

Hugh O'Brien Funeral Services offers traditional and “green” (natural) funerals for Manchester and Cheshire.

At Hugh O'Brien Funeral Directors we provide a completely unique family service, combining all of the positive elements of a traditional funeral service with a friendly, understanding ethos based firmly in the present. Our experience has shown that we provide families with a genuinely caring, dependable and fair service. We are part of a small dedicated team. This means that we have been able to raise the standard of service provided, greatly increasing the flexibility, the level of individual attention and the care that is required by the families that we help. We understand the difficulties of the situation that you and your family are faced with. We are here to help.

When making arrangements you will find that we have made everything as simple and clear as possible. As approved members of the Golden Charter Trust we can also help you plan in advance the type of funeral and service you want, discuss the benefits of a pre-paid funeral plan, explain why it is necessary to have a Will and look at other legal services, offer financial advice from our independent financial advisor, make a choice about flowers or donations, define your own personal funeral poetry and music, plan a reception to celebrate your life and lots more. We also offer practical post funeral services including house clearance, refurbishment and gardening.

TESTIMONIAL “Thanks so much for all that you did ensuring my brother’s funeral was everything we could have wanted for him. The day ran very smoothly which was all due to your organisation and expertise. Gail and the children have asked me to thank you for kindness and would not hesitate in recommending your services to any family or friends in the future”. 

Steve Dillon, Heaton Moor.

Funerals with care, without worry

Hugh O'Brien Funeral Services

We can arrange everything to suit exactly your (or your loved one’s) wishes. You choose how your funeral should be. Whether you prefer a traditional or an eco-friendly funeral, we can arrange it for you. We can handle receptions and wakes to suit your family culture. We can organise the Order of Service (including readings, music and poetry) and deal with Church Ministers (or the official at a non-religious funeral) if you prefer.

Throughout, you are assured of a caring and understanding service and an extremely

high level of personal attention. Our expert services also include pre-planning (Funeral Plans), Wills and legal services, counselling, advice on senior care and post-funeral services. We always remember that you are in control and this day should be as you would have liked it to be.

Hugh O'Brien Funeral Services are now partners of Ian Clarke Funeral Directors

Visit us online at www.funeralplanninguk.com

Tel: 0161 283 9060 & 07786 267689

Email: admin@funeralplanninguk.com 

Order your

Funeral Planning

Journal for only £9.95 :

www.funeralplans.co/thefuneralplanningjournal.html

Payment Methods

Highest quality funeral arrangements at a sensible price

Funerals with care, without worry

We can arrange everything to suit exactly your (or your loved one’s) wishes. You choose how your funeral should be. Whether you prefer a traditional or an eco-friendly funeral, we can arrange it for you. We can handle receptions and wakes to suit your family culture. We can organise the Order of Service (including readings, music and poetry) and deal with Church Ministers (or the official at a non-religious funeral) if you prefer.

 

Throughout, you are assured of a caring and understanding service and an extremely

high level of personal attention. Our expert services also include pre-planning (Funeral Plans), Wills and legal services, counselling, advice on senior care and post-funeral services. We always remember that you are in control and this day should be as you would have liked it to be.

 

Visit us online at www.funeralplanner.co

Tel: 0161 283 9060 & 07581 705303

Email: admin@funeralplans.co

 

Order your

Funeral Planning

Journal for only £9.95 :

www.funeralplans.co/thefuneralplanningjournal.html

Stockport's Heritage: Heaton Moor Historical Society-meeting

Stockport's Heritage: Heaton Moor Historical Society-meeting

Funeral Planning Journal available at £9.95

The Funeral Planning Journal is only £9.95 when ordering online at http://www.funeralplans.co/thefuneralplanningjournal.html.

There are many reasons why you decide to plan your funeral  and the most important one is to make sure the family knows your every wish for the funeral and how your life can be celebrated.

It will allow you to enjoy the rest of your life having the peace of mind that everything is in order.

All your wishes will be listed and available in a treasured journal, all your personal plans will be available for your family to follow and it will prevent family arguments as they follow everything you want.

In certain instances where you have no family the journal will be passed to your friends and carers to make sure all the wishes are followed.

The journal will cover all the essential areas including practical instructions to make sure your full estate is administered by the executors in the best and most sensible way and reducing any areas of indecision.

This document will sit next to your Will with the Solicitor and be available to your family and friends on your passing.

The Funeral Planning Journal is a document which will serve as your Letter of Wishes, and offer your family and executors complete clarity at a time when they will be stressed and needing assistance.

You can sit with your family and in your own time answer the important questions. In our experience we know this will help your loved ones find the answers to all those important questions as they make arrangements.

The Funeral Planning Journal is only £9.95 when ordering online at http://www.funeralplans.co/thefuneralplanningjournal.html. If you want to order by post please send a cheque to CVRC for £11.95 and post to the address below:

Funeral Planner

1 Stanley Grove

Heaton Moor

Stockport

SK4 4HP

 http://www.funeralplans.co

Funeral Planning Journal

The sensitive subject of planning for your Funeral is an area most people want to avoid, we offer the much needed help and support to make the process easier.


There are many reasons why you decide to plan your Funeral and the most important one is to make sure the family knows your every wish for the Funeral and how your life can be celebrated.
It will allow you to enjoy the rest of your life having the peace of mind that everything is in order.


All your wishes will be listed and available in a treasured journal, all your personal plans will be available for your family to follow and it will prevent family arguments as they follow everything you want.


In certain instances where you have no family the journal will be passed to your friends and carers to make sure all the wishes are followed.


The planning journal will cover all the essential areas including practical instructions to make sure your full estate is administered by the executors in the best and most sensible way and reducing any areas of indecision.


This document will sit next to your Will with the Solicitor and be available to your family and friends on your passing.


The Funeral Planning Journal is a document which will serve as your Letter of Wishes, and offer your family and executors’ complete clarity at a time when they will be stressed and needing assistance. 

You can sit with your family and in your own time answer the important questions.  In our experience we know this will help your loved ones find the answers to all those important questions as they make arrangements. 

For more information on future planning or planning a funeral please call Hugh or Lesley 0845 245 0026. If you prefer to email admin@funeralplans.co 

Green Burials Help the Earth and Your Wallet

Many people think of cremation as a more Earth-friendly way of dealing with their remains on this post-mortal coil, but what about the energy expended converting our body to ashes? What about the air pollution, such as mercury, from that conflagration? And what about the potential soil nutrients that this steals from the ground? In my opinion, I’ve lived off of the nutrients provided by the world for many years and have a moral obligation to give something nutritious back upon my death.

That’s why I’m pleased to see the growing field of green funerals. No longer do we need to be shackled to the traditional Christian burial process of embalming, placing in a air-tight elaborate casket and entombing the casket in a concrete vault.

A green burial is, as you might expect, a much less elaborate affair. In fact, as Josh Slocum, executive director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance, said to me, “If you want to know what a green burial is, ask your great-great-grandparents.”

Slocum said that a green burial is all about what you don’t buy. You can cross off embalming and use a simple wood box (built locally).

There are more aspects to a green burial, however, than simplifying the body preparation and container. There are green cemeteries and natural woodland areas. The cemeteries often will allow the marking of a grave with only a stone or plant or plaque set flush with the ground. The area will be allowed to return to nature, its abundance fertilized by the deceased.

There is three types of green burial grounds:

1. Hybrid, which allow burials without anything to protect the casket, and accepts uncremated bodies.
2. Natural Burial Grounds, which prohibit bodies embalmed with toxic chemicals, any features such as vault lids that would retard decomposition, any caskets not made of a natural material, and the grounds must be designed to maintain a natural appearance.
3. Conservation Burial Grounds, which “must protect in perpetuity an area of land specifically and exclusively designated for conservation.”

Slocum cautioned “You cannot consume your way to conservation.” When the day comes that I’m done consuming, a green burial might be an appropriate way to hold my place in the food chain; above cows and just below worms.

www.FuneralPlans.co

Understanding the Probate Service

“Probate”is the word commonly used for the administration of a deceased’s Estate. It actually means the name of the legal document that is produced by the High Court if the deceased left a valid Will with surviving Executors.

There are several ‘Grants’ that can be issued, but the most popular are the Grant of Probate and the Grant of Letters of Administration, for when someone dies “intestate” (without a Will).

Role of Administrator or Executor

Simply, it is the responsibility of the Executor or Administrator to deal with all aspects of the administration of the deceased’s Estate. In practice, many Executors and Administrators ask a solicitor to do this for them, due to the sizeable amount of paperwork that is generated.

Solicitors can be appointed as Executors and this is usual where you wish to ensure that a particular firm carries out the administration of the Estate for you, especially where there is a house involved.

The solicitor holding the Will should be approached as soon as possible after death in order that they can make the necessary arrangements for the administration of the Estate. If there is a Will and it is held by a solicitor you must inform that solicitor of the death as soon as possible.

A list of assets and liabilities will be compiled. If necessary, assets will be professionally valued. Once the values of the assets and liabilities have been obtained, the necessary Inland Revenue forms will be completed, a formal Oath will be sworn and the application made for the appropriate Grant .

The assets of an Estate cannot be encashed, or a house sold, until the Grant has been issued. Even when the entire Estate has been liquidated, it is not always a good idea to distribute it amongst the beneficiaries. There are two specific deadlines that have to be considered – one for creditors of the estate and another for potential beneficiaries to make a claim. 

Also, an Executor or Administrator is not legally obliged to distribute an Estate until one year has elapsed from the date of death. Most non-professional Executives do not know this, and will make payments from an Estate without being aware of the personal liability they may have. Administrating an Estate can be a complex and time-consuming task. 

Asking a solicitor to act on your behalf is not an admission of defeat – it is extremely sensible! A good solicitor will keep you involved in the process, and provide you with regular updates. You should always use a solicitor who is experienced in dealing with Estates, preferably one who is a member of the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP), a prestigious organisation for those who are specialists in the areas of Wills, Trusts and Estates.

Probate Advice

Funeral Planner have linked up with TWP LLP and offer probare services.

www.FuneralPlanner.co

It’s never to soon to make plans.......

The time for funeral planning is something we all ,like to avoid even though we know it is going to happen to everyone

We understand how hard and painful it can be to consider a time when you are no longer around. We are aware of the genuine problems created when no planning is taken causing family stress and financial worries.

The aim of Funeral Planner is to provide valuable information allowing you to make decisions about planning your funeral, organising your estate and

supporting the post funeral arrangements for your family.

We offer a comprehensive list of services which allow people to plan a bespoke funeral service which can vary from a traditional funeral to a more modern event including coach and horses or motorbike hearses.

We can plan the type of funeral and service you want, discuss the benefits of a pre-paid funeral plan, explain why it is necessary to have a Will and look at other legal services, offer financial advice from our independent financial advisor, make a choice about flowers or donations, define your own personal funeral poetry and music, plan a reception to celebrate your life and lots more.

Our professional network include probate specialists, independent financial advisors, funeral directors and bereavement counsellors.

We also offer practical post funeral services including house clearance, refurbishment and gardening.

All your wishes will be listed and available in a treasured journal and be available for your family to follow, preventing family arguments

and any confusion.

Funeral Planning Solutions are approved members of the Golden Charter Trust and can arrange pre-paid funeral plans to secure the funeral at today's prices

http://www.funeralplans.co/

Steps to Funeral Planning

The sensitive subject of planning for your funeral is an area most people want to avoid, we offer the much needed help and support to make the process easier.

There are many reasons why you decide to plan your funeral and the most important one is to make sure the family knows your every wish for the funeral and how your life can be celebrated.

It will allow you to enjoy the rest of your life having the peace of mind that everything is in order.

All your wishes will be listed and available in a treasured journal, all your personal wishes will be available for your family to follow and it will prevent family arguments and they follow everything you want.

In certain instances where you have no family the journal will be passed to your friends and carers to make sure all the wishes are followed.

The journal once produced will cover all the essential areas including practical instructions to make sure your full estate is administered by the executors in the best and most sensible way and reducing any areas of indecision.

This document will sit next to your Will with the Solicitor and be available to your family and friends on your passing.

During the meeting we can discuss your thoughts and decide what you may want to happen. You can plan the type of funeral, discuss the benefits of a pre-paid funeral plan, explain why it is necessary to have a Will and look at other legal services, offer financial advice from our independent financial advisor, make a choice about flowers or donations, define your own personal funeral service, plan a receptions to celebrate your life and lots more.

The meeting will allow you to list down lots of answers to a number of key questions which you may not have been considered essential but will support your plans and wishes and help your family and friends when you pass on.

Sample Questions:

What type of funeral service, Religious or Humanist?

Pre Funeral gathering?

Poetry, Quotes, Readings (Be conscious that a eulogy will be read, you may want to choose the people in advance and the content)?

Music: Live or Recorded (This is linked to the funeral theme) Do you want a choir, instruments or a singer (all or part)?

The location of the Will (home, lawyer, accountant?) Let someone know where it is stored

Who are the executors? (Their names, addresses, telephone/mobile number, email addresses)

Do you have a Bank Vault?

The combination of your House Safe?

Where is your outside Storage unit?

What is the name of your Pension provider?

Insurance documents are filed where? There are many questions we ask in order to have a complete understanding of your wishes and we list all the practical details to support the estate management.

We will produce a comprehensive document and arrange the secure storage of the journal with your solicitor or family. We can also securely store in our offices, if required. The Funeral Planning Journal is a document which will serve as your Letter of Wishes, and offer your family and executors complete clarity at a time when they will be stressed and needing assistance.

Always allow time to the finish all the answers to the important questions and re-visit if more time is required.

In our experience we know this will help your loved ones find the answers to all those important questions as they make arrangements.

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Hugh O'Brien http://www.funeralplanner.co/ EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hugh_O'Brien

Meet The Man With A Plan For Your Loved Ones' Funeral

It's not a day many people want to think about let alone plan for, unless you are Hugh O’Brien, the north west’s first funeral planner.

Hugh opened Funeral Planning Solutions, which he runs from his home on Stanley Grove, Heaton Moor, after being made redundant from his job as a logistics manager.

The 50-year-old hit upon the idea after his aunt died and her service did not run smoothly as it had been arranged at the last minute.

Now he can arrange anything from the church music and wake buffet to organising for the deceased’s coffin to arrive at the church on a motorbike sidecar.

Mr O’Brien, a father of two, said: "I am like a wedding planner but for funerals.

"And this is even more important.

"Your wedding is just one day but overall the impact of a funeral is greater.

"Around 600,000 people a year die in this country but 70 per cent don’t have a will or make the necessary arrangements.

"People just don’t like thinking about the fact that they’re not going to be around forever.

"I leave it up to the individual, the service can be as traditional or extreme as people want.

"Whatever people request I can make happen."

As part of his service, Mr O’Brien offers will-making, the organisation of the whole funeral day as well as the clearance and disposal of the deceased person’s possessions if required.

He works alongside his wife Lesley, 48, and the business has now been running a month.

Mr O’Brien said: "Obviously there are other funeral directors or people who make wills but I am the only person who does the whole lot in the north west.

"When you tell people what you do the reaction varies from ‘that’s a bit ghoulish’ to that’s a good idea.

"Lots of people has a story of going to a funeral that went wrong. That’s what I help avoid."


www.FuneralPlanner.co


menmedia.co.uk/stockportexpress/news/s/1408984_meet_the_man_with_a_plan__for_your_loved_ones_funerals

Funeral Planning Journal

The sensitive subject of planning for your funeral is an area most people want to avoid, we offer the much needed help and support to make the process easier.

There are many reasons why you decide to plan your funeral  and the most important one is to make sure the family knows your every wish for the funeral and how your life can be celebrated.

It will allow you to enjoy the rest of your life having the peace of mind that everything is in order.

All your wishes will be listed and available in a treasured journal, all your personal wishes will be available for your family to follow and it will prevent family arguments and  they follow everything you want.

In certain instances where you have no family the journal will be passed to your friends and carers to make sure all the wishes are followed.

The journal we produce will cover all the essential areas including practical instructions to make sure your full estate is administered by the executors in the best and most sensible way and reducing any areas of indecision.

This document will sit next to your Will with the Solicitor and be available to your family and friends on your passing.

During our meeting we can discuss your thoughts and decide what you may want to happen. We can plan the type of funeral, discuss the benefits of a pre-paid funeral plan, explain why it is necessary to have a Will and look at other legal services, offer financial advice from our independent financial advisor, make a choice about flowers or donations, define your own personal funeral service, plan a receptions to celebrate your life and lots more.

The meeting will allow you to list down lots of answers to a number of key questions which you may not have been considered essential but will support your plans and wishes and help your family and friends when you pass on.

          Sample Questions:

•     What type of funeral service, Religious or Humanist?
•   Pre Funeral gathering?
•   Poetry, Quotes, Readings (Be conscious that a eulogy will be read, you may want to choose the people in advance and the content)?
•   Music: Live or Recorded (This is linked to the funeral theme) Do you want a choir, instruments or a singer (all or part)?
•   The location of the Will (home, lawyer, accountant?) Let someone know where it is stored
•   Who are the executors? (Their names, addresses, telephone/mobile number, email addresses)
•   Do you have a Bank Vault?
•   The combination of your House Safe?
•   Where is your outside Storage unit?
•   What is the name of your Pension provider?
•   Insurance documents are filed where?

There are many questions we ask in order to have a complete understanding of your wishes and we list all the practical details to support the estate management. We will produce a comprehensive  document and arrange the secure storage of the journal with your solicitor or family. We can also securely store in our offices, if required.

The Funeral Planning Journal is a document which will serve as your Letter of Wishes, and offer your family and executors complete clarity at a time when they will be stressed and needing assistance.

We will sit with you and give you time to the finish all the answers to the important questions and will arrange further visits if more time is required.

In our experience we know this will help your loved ones find the answers to all those important questions as they make arrangements.



You Can't Take It With You: Episode 5

How do you decide to leave your business to the family?

Hans and Anna have six children, five sons live in the UK and one daughter lives in New Zealand, Their family Garden Centre business has been recently valued at £4 Million and is based in two locations. Three of the sons are currently involved in the business whilst the other two run their own operations.

Nev and Alan have two children, a son and a daughter. Their family Land Management business has a recent price tag of £3 Million. Their son works in the business and their daughter who lives 100 miles away is a school teacher.

Hans and Anna are both getting on and have reached their 80's and a decision is rather urgent but they just can't decide. The indecision is now hurting the business as it is now drifting and certain sections are losing money. The three sons who work in the business offer no true leadership skills and have offered loyalty, hard work but little else.

Gerry sets out to meet the rest of the children in the UK.

Nev and Alan's children have very clear opinions on what to do with their inheritance. Damian wants the business to go into a trust which will allow him to grow it for future generations. The daugher Vashti wants her share and feels placing the estate into a trust shows a last of respect to her.

Nev and Alan want complete fairness but also don't want to put the business at risk so they feel placing the business in a trust is the best solution.

Gerry arranges for the meeting with Sue Medder to offer advice to both couples.

Hans and Anna agree that the estate should be placed in equal shares  for the children but cannot decide who will be Managing Director amongst the sons. They are sent away to make a decision about the MD role. Gerry points out that the decision of MD should be immediate to secure the current business status and allow the business to flourish.

Nev and Alan have their meeting and still feel a trust is the best solution though this is clearly unfair on their daughter.

Gerry arranges for the family debates over dinner with Hans and Anna sitting with their five sons to discuss options. The boys generally disagree until Antony, a middle son, shows his hand and says he is happy to move from his existing business and take control, Antony throughout the show has demonstrated the most business sense and he is also the diplomat.His offers does go down well with his other siblings and parents.

During the Nev and Alan family debate Damian says very little as I suspect he feels he is in the box seat. However Vashti makes it very clear that the decision to put the estate in a Trust is unfair and it certainly shows how controlling their parents will remain even after their death. She challenges her Mother about having a similar role to her in the family business which certainly struct a nerve and challenged her current position in respect of the Will. Alan said very little other than it should be 50/50 but it is clear that the parents were closer to Damian. Vashti tells them she does not want an inheritance she cannot spend. This clearly affects her Mum, Nev.

The final meetings arec arranged with Sue Medder and Gerry.

Hans and Anna have acted quickly and installed Antony as MD and the business is now in better hands. They split the business into six equal shares and state that Antony will remain as MD after they die.

Nev and Alan arrive and Nev does the talking and initially says she wants it in a Trust but with no rules attached. This is discussed but Sue highlights that no clarity will exist and it would end in dispute. Gerry adds that this would be a very uncomfortable position for both children.

Nev suddenly changes her mind and decides it should be a direct split 50/50 and no Trust. Alan nods in agreement.

Before Nev changes her mind again the Wills are produced and they both sign.

My gut feeling says this is not the final outcome and these Wills may change again one day.

This episode wants again highlights estate issues and how difficult the decisions can be without communication.

How many other business owners are in the same position and don't make a decision leaving behind a real mess.

Next week's final episode will highlight issues within families when certain siblings are disabled or need extra support and attention.

Tune into BBC2 on Friday for the last episode.

You can't take it with you, but you can ensure who has it

An increasing number of people are needing more complicated Wills, in line with those currently being featured in the BBC 2 programme 'Can’t Take it With You', says Francis Durrant of Barr Ellison Solicitors in Cambridge, making it all the more worrying that 70% of people die without making a Will. 

 

“People wanting to leave money to charity or to leave uneven amounts to different relatives and people who are delaying writing a Will because they undecided how to divide their estate are some of the issues featured in the programme and we ourselves are seeing an increasing number where the Will is not straight forward.

Whatever people have to leave it’s important that they write a Will to ensure their estate is left with the people they want to leave it to and they don’t pay any unnecessary tax.”

Reasons why people are increasingly having more complicated Wills include the increase in couples cohabiting rather than marrying, more complicated trust provisions and more people having second marriages. “It is particularly important for unmarried couples to make Wills because they do not have the protections you automatically receive as a married couple,” says Francis. “Also trust provisions can be put in place that can actually end up saving tax and second or subsequent marriages obviously make Wills a lot more complicated.

People are also concerned about the possible remarriage of a survivor and how that would affect what they leave to loved ones. And even if people believe they have very straight forward requirements, with people living much longer they need to think about protecting funds against the increasing cost of long term care.”

Francis believes that it is often the fact that a Will is likely to be complicated that puts people off taking the plunge: “If people are worried about who should receive what or how they should go about it they should remember that any difficult decisions they have to make are likely to be far easier than leaving family with the stress of them dying intestate.”

 

It’s also important, he says, to remember to keep a Will updated to take into account any changes in beneficiaries’ needs and a person’s financial and personal circumstances. 

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