Hannah Wallbridge is a Senior Associate in the Wills, Probate and Estate Planning Team.
Hannah advises in all private client matters including Wills and estate planning, Lasting Powers of Attorney, probate and administration of estates. She ensures that loved ones wishes are adhered to and handled with care from the point of drafting their Will through to administration of their estate and assisting their families at a very difficult time.
Wills, Probate and Estate Planning
Hannah advises on all types of Wills placing significance on clients’ wishes whilst also advising on tax implications and arrangements to ensure children from a previous marriage or unmarried partners are protected.
Hannah also advises clients on specific tax planning queries and helps to ensure they make the most of their available inheritance tax exemptions and helps to put in place arrangements which can help maximise these exemptions whilst always considering the need to balance any tax implication with the needs of their ultimate beneficiaries. It is important for clients to consider their beneficiaries own circumstances and Hannah takes care to advise clients of all the options available to ensure their loved ones are catered for appropriately.
Hannah advises clients on the importance of Lasting Powers of Attorney documents and handles this process in terms of drafting appropriate preferences and instructions bespoke to her client’s needs and handling the registration process with the Office of the Public Guardian. Hannah also advises attorneys on their duties and can help assist with tricky queries they may have and ensure they act in the best interests of their loved one.
Hannah assists clients with administration of estates in the difficult circumstances of losing a loved one. She handles their matter with care and efficiency to help bring the estate to a conclusion as delicately and quickly as possible. These have involved both UK and overseas assets and estates with numerous beneficiaries located across the world.
Work Highlights
- Advising an executor on the validity of a UK will and consideration of the issue of domicile of the deceased having lived in various countries in his lifetime
- Assisting in advising an executor of a high value estate involving various properties, investments and assets where a small charity was the sole residuary beneficiary
- Hosting presentations advising local carers on legal issues to consider when a loved one is diagnosed with Dementia
- Presenting at a breakfast seminar advising members of the local business community on the importance of Lasting Powers of Attorney to cover their business affairs
- Working closely with an accountant to assist and advise a high-net worth individual in the setting up of discretionary trusts in order to minimise his inheritance tax liability
- Assisting and advising executors in relation to inheritance tax exemptions to claim normal income out of expenditure and business property relief to successfully reduce the significant inheritance tax liability on the estate.