Estate Planning
Comprehensive estate planning for London individuals and families. Strategic advice covering wills, trusts, LPAs, inheritance tax mitigation, gifting strategies, and asset protection — tailored to your complete financial picture.
Get Matched
Up to 3 vetted estate planning specialists will contact you within 24 hours
Estate Planning: What You Need to Know
Comprehensive estate planning is a strategic review of your complete financial and personal picture, looking at how your assets will pass on your death and how much of your estate will be absorbed by inheritance tax. For most London residents, this is more complex than they realise — and more rewarding to address properly.
An estate planning review looks at your wills, LPAs, trust provisions, pension nominations, insurance policies, gifting history, and asset ownership structures. The output is a clear picture of your current position, your likely inheritance tax liability under current rules, and practical recommendations for reducing that liability and ensuring your assets pass to the right people.
The best time to undertake estate planning is before a crisis makes decisions urgent. Our matched specialists take a methodical, non-alarming approach — explaining your position clearly and making recommendations you can implement at your own pace.
Benefits of Estate Planning
Complete Estate Visibility
Many people are surprised by the scale of their estate when all assets are properly aggregated — property, pensions, investments, business interests, life insurance, and accumulated savings. A clear picture is the starting point for all planning decisions.
Inheritance Tax Calculation
Your specialist calculates your likely IHT liability under current rules, accounting for available allowances including nil-rate bands, residence nil-rate bands, business property relief, and agricultural property relief where applicable.
Practical Recommendations
Estate planning recommendations are prioritised by impact and urgency. Not everything needs to be done immediately — your specialist will identify what is most time-sensitive and what can be implemented progressively.
Family Alignment
Good estate planning often involves conversations with family members about intentions, expectations, and financial realities. Your specialist can facilitate these discussions and ensure everyone understands the plan.
Find Estate Planning Professionals
Specialists for estate planning covering 83 towns and areas.
Search for your area above or to find estate planning professionals near you.
Is Estate Planning Right for You?
A comprehensive estate planning review is right for:
- Those with estates likely to exceed the IHT threshold (£325,000 per person, or £500,000 including the residence nil-rate band) who have not undertaken formal planning
- Those approaching retirement whose pension assets, property equity, and accumulated savings are growing into inheritance tax territory
- Following a significant change in circumstances — inheritance, property purchase, business sale, marriage, or divorce
- Those who have not reviewed their will or estate position for more than five years
- Business owners who need to understand how business property relief applies to their estate
Our matched estate planning specialists will review your brief and requirements, then provide a clear quote and timeline before any work begins.
How the Process Works
Asset and Liability Review
A comprehensive picture of your estate is assembled — property values, investment portfolios, pension funds, business interests, insurance policies, and any gifts made in the last seven years.
IHT Position Assessment
Your inheritance tax position is calculated under current rules, with all available allowances and reliefs identified and applied. This provides a clear baseline figure for planning purposes.
Strategy Development
Strategies for reducing IHT exposure are assessed — gifting, trust structures, will amendments, pension planning, and business relief optimisation — with each option's benefits and implications explained clearly.
Written Report and Action Plan
A comprehensive written report summarises your estate position, recommended actions, and suggested timeline. This serves as your ongoing reference document for estate planning decisions.
Estate Planning Pricing Guide
Fees vary depending on the service and estate complexity. Below are typical costs from specialists in our network. All prices are in GBP.
| Service Type | Price Range |
|---|---|
Estate Planning Review | £400 to £1,200 |
What's Included in the Fee
- Consultation, will drafting, review, signing guidance, secure storage advice
- Joint consultation, two matching wills, review, signing guidance, storage advice
- Consultation, LPA drafting, certificate provider guidance, OPG registration support
- Estate review, trust recommendation, trust drafting, full explanation of implications
- Full asset review, IHT calculation, wills/LPA/trust recommendations, written report
- Grant of probate application, asset collection, HMRC returns, estate distribution
0% Finance Available
Staged payment plans available from most specialists. Many clients prefer to spread the cost of comprehensive estate planning over 6-12 months.
Estate Planning FAQs
What Our Clients Say
“My husband and I had been meaning to sort our wills for years. The will writer they matched us with made the whole process straightforward — she explained everything clearly, came to our home in Hampstead, and we had our mirror wills signed within two weeks. Couldn't be easier.”
“After my father's health scare, I realised we needed LPAs in place urgently. The specialist matched to us understood the urgency, explained both types of LPA clearly, and had everything registered within the timeframe we needed. Professional and reassuring throughout.”
“We needed a protective property trust to ensure our home would pass to our children rather than be used for care fees. The specialist was knowledgeable, patient, and explained every option. We felt completely informed before making any decisions.”