Estate Planning: Protect Your Assets and Your Family’s Future

Our estate planning solicitors work with individuals, families, and business owners across the UK to organise your affairs so your assets pass to the right people, in the right way, with as little disruption as possible. It goes beyond writing a will – bringing together lasting powers of attorney, trust arrangements, and inheritance tax planning before they are needed.

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Why Leaving Estate Planning Too Late Costs More Than You Think

Most people put off estate planning because it feels complex or because it does not feel urgent. The reality is that the longer it is left, the fewer options are available. Inheritance tax thresholds, care home fee rules, and intestacy law all operate independently of your wishes. Without a plan in place, your estate may be taxed more than necessary, your assets may not reach the people you intended, and your family may face delays and disputes at an already difficult time. Our solicitors at MAR Legal make the process straightforward, explaining your options clearly so you can make decisions with confidence.

What Estate Planning Covers

A thorough estate plan brings together several distinct but connected areas. Our solicitors work across all of them.

Wills

A will is the foundation of any estate plan. It records who inherits your assets, who manages your estate as executor, and who cares for any children under 18. Without a valid will, the intestacy rules apply, and the outcome may not reflect your wishes. We draft wills for individuals, couples, business owners, and those with complex family arrangements.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

A lasting power of attorney (LPA) gives someone you trust the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity. There are two types: one covering property and financial affairs, and one covering health and welfare. An LPA only works if it is in place before capacity is lost. Without one, your family may need to apply to the Court of Protection, which is a lengthy and costly process.

Trusts

A trust allows you to set aside assets for specific beneficiaries under conditions you control. Trusts are used for a range of purposes in estate planning, including protecting assets for children, providing for a vulnerable beneficiary, managing family wealth across generations, and in some circumstances reducing inheritance tax exposure. The right trust structure depends on your circumstances and objectives.

Inheritance Tax Planning

Inheritance tax is charged at 40% on the value of an estate above the nil-rate band threshold, currently £325,000. Various reliefs and exemptions are available, including the residence nil-rate band, business property relief, and annual gifting allowances. Our Estate Planning solicitors can explain the IHT position on your estate and how your will and trust structures interact with available reliefs.

What This Means for You

  • Your assets pass to the people you have chosen, in the way you intended
  • Your family is protected if you lose capacity before you die
  • Your estate is structured to make use of available inheritance tax reliefs
  • Your business interests are covered alongside your personal assets
  • Your wishes are legally documented and difficult to challenge

When to seek advice

  • You do not have a will or your existing will no longer reflects your circumstances
  • You do not have lasting powers of attorney in place
  • Your estate is likely to exceed the inheritance tax threshold
  • You own a business and have not planned for what happens to it
  • You have a blended family, a vulnerable beneficiary, or complex family arrangements
  • You have recently married, divorced, or had children

Meet the Founder

Marium brings 22 years of experience advising businesses and individuals on corporate, commercial and ILA law matters across the UK and the Middle East.

A qualified Solicitor individually authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA ID: 277854), Marium is also a registered Part II Practitioner and mediator in the DIFC Courts, and an established member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Her experience spans complex legal matters for high-profile clients throughout her career, she has been awarded the fastest growing women-led business in the UK recognised by Fortune 500 and former Prime Minister David Cameron.

Marium Razzaq - Solicitors in Manchester
Marium Razzaq
Solicitor & Director Mar Legal
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Why People Choose MAR Legal for Estate Planning

Solicitor Led Advice

Our Estate Planning Solicitors look at your will, LPAs, and tax position together rather than in isolation.

Commercial Awareness

We regularly advise business owners on estate planning that covers both personal and commercial assets.

Fixed Fee Pricing

Transparent costs agreed upfront across all estate planning services.

Plain Language

We explain the options clearly so you can make fully informed decisions without the complexity.

Trusted by people across the UK for clear, accessible advice on Estate Planning

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How Our Estate Planning Process Works

01

Initial consultation

We discuss your circumstances, your assets, your family situation, and what you want to achieve.

02

Review and Planning

We identify the documents and structures you need and explain the options available to you.

03

Drafting

Our solicitors prepare your will, LPAs, or trust documents as agreed, with full explanations at each stage.

04

Ongoing Review

We recommend reviewing your estate plan whenever your circumstances change, and we make it straightforward to update documents when needed.

What Our Clients Say

You may also need help with

Estate planning works alongside a number of other services. If you do not yet have a will in place, our will drafting service is the starting point. Many clients also put powers of attorney in place at the same time. If you own property, a property protection trust will may be worth considering, and for couples, mirror wills are often the most practical option. Business owners should also consider how their wills for business owners interact with their commercial interests.

Common Questions About Estate Planning

Inheritance tax is charged at 40% on the value of your estate above the nil-rate band, currently £325,000. A residence nil-rate band of up to £175,000 may also apply if you leave your home to direct descendants, giving a combined threshold of up to £500,000 for individuals or up to £1 million for married couples and civil partners. Various reliefs and exemptions can reduce the taxable value further. Whether and how much inheritance tax applies to your estate depends on its total value, how your assets are held, and what planning has been put in place.

Not everyone needs a trust, but they are a useful tool in a range of circumstances. Trusts are commonly used to protect assets for children until they reach a certain age, to provide for a beneficiary who cannot manage money independently, to pass on business interests in a tax-efficient way, or to protect a share of the family home within a will. Whether a trust is appropriate depends on your specific circumstances and objectives. We discuss this as part of the initial consultation and only recommend structures that serve a genuine purpose.

If you die without a valid will, your estate is distributed under the intestacy rules of England and Wales. These rules follow a fixed order of priority that may not reflect your wishes. For example, unmarried partners have no automatic right to inherit regardless of how long you have been together. Children from a previous relationship may be treated differently from stepchildren. The intestacy rules also make no provision for friends, charities, or anyone outside the defined categories of relative. Making a will is the only way to ensure your estate passes to the people you intend.

An estate plan should be reviewed whenever your circumstances change significantly. Common triggers include getting married or entering a civil partnership, which automatically revokes an existing will in England and Wales; getting divorced; having children or grandchildren; buying or selling property; starting or selling a business; or a significant change in the value of your estate. As a general rule, reviewing your will and LPAs every three to five years is good practice even without a specific trigger.

MAR Legal can explain the inheritance tax position on your estate, how your will and trust structures interact with available reliefs such as business property relief and the residence nil-rate band, and what options are available to you. Where your circumstances require specialist tax advice beyond the legal structuring of your estate, we work alongside appropriately qualified tax professionals to make sure you have the full picture. We do not provide regulated financial advice

There are legal structures, including certain types of property protection trust within a will, that can help protect a share of the family home for future generations rather than it being used entirely to fund care costs. Whether this approach is appropriate depends on your circumstances, the timing of any planning, and how your assets are currently held. It is important that any planning is put in place well in advance and for genuine reasons, not purely to avoid care fees. We explain the options available and work alongside financial advisers where broader planning is needed.

MAR Legal provides estate planning advice including will drafting, lasting power of attorney preparation, and trust documentation. We do not undertake probate, reserved legal activities, or regulated financial advice. Where matters involve specialist inheritance tax planning, financial structuring, or regulated advice, we work alongside appropriately qualified professionals. All content on this page is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice.