Bees & Co Wills,Trusts LPAs and Estate planning

Bees & Co Wills,Trusts LPAs and Estate planning Expert advice on the construction of Wills, Lasting Power of Attorney and the effective use of Trusts. Expert Financial guidance which comes FREE of charge.

A short one that could save your family a great deal of trouble.Your pension is often one of your biggest assets. But he...
16/07/2026

A short one that could save your family a great deal of trouble.

Your pension is often one of your biggest assets. But here's something many people don't realise. Who inherits your pension is usually decided by a separate form you filled in with your pension provider. Not by your will.

That means you could update your will beautifully, but if the nomination form on your pension still names an ex-spouse from twenty years ago, guess where the money is likely to go.

It is quick to check. Ring your pension provider, or log into your online account, and make sure the person named is still the one you want.

With big changes to pension inheritance tax coming in April 2027, this is a very good moment to look.

Not sure how your pension and your will fit together? Get in touch, and we will help you make sense of it.

There's a useful document that sits alongside a will, and it's one very few people ask me about: a letter of wishes.A le...
12/07/2026

There's a useful document that sits alongside a will, and it's one very few people ask me about: a letter of wishes.

A letter of wishes is a separate note, written in your own words, to guide the people who will handle your affairs. Unlike a will, it is not legally binding. But it is often where the most human material lives.

I have seen letters of wishes used for all sorts of things. Funeral arrangements. Explaining why certain gifts have been made, or why particular people have been left out, which can head off a family argument before it starts. Guidance on how trustees should look after money for grandchildren. Which piece of jewellery should go to whom. A short message to family members that a formal document cannot carry.

The advantage is flexibility. Because it is not legally binding, you can update it whenever you like, without going through the formalities of changing your will. Many people revisit theirs every few years, or after a life event.

It is not a substitute for a properly drafted will. But it is a lovely and practical companion to one.

If you would like help drafting a letter of wishes to sit alongside your will, I'm happy to guide you. You can also read our blog on the subject: https://beesandco.com/blog/letter-of-wishes-a-comprehensive-guide/

On the 5th June, the Ministry of Justice launched a public consultation on the rights of cohabiting couples in England a...
09/07/2026

On the 5th June, the Ministry of Justice launched a public consultation on the rights of cohabiting couples in England and Wales. It closes on 14 August. If the proposals go ahead, they could give unmarried partners some inheritance rights for the first time, in cases where their partner dies without a will.

That is a very long way from being law. Even if it goes through, meaningful change is not expected before 2028. But here is the important bit for anyone who lives with a partner but is not married.

As things stand today, if your partner dies without a will, you inherit nothing automatically. Not the home you may have lived in together for thirty years. Not the joint life you have built. Nothing.

'Common law marriage' does not exist in England and Wales. The length of your relationship makes no difference in law. Neither does having children together. Yet nearly half of cohabiting couples still believe they have some protection because of the length of their relationship. They do not.

The single most important thing an unmarried couple can do, right now, is make wills that provide for each other. It takes very little time, it costs very little, and it is the only reliable protection until the law catches up.

If you and your partner have been putting this off, please stop. Get in touch, and I will help you sort it out quickly. https://beesandco.com/

I’ve been reflecting, having recently landed from my sponsored skydive for Hope for Tomorrow.The generosity people have ...
06/07/2026

I’ve been reflecting, having recently landed from my sponsored skydive for Hope for Tomorrow.

The generosity people have shown over the last few weeks has been genuinely moving. It also got me thinking, as these things do, about a subject I do not talk about often enough at work: leaving something to charity in your will.

You do not need to be wealthy to do it. A modest legacy, even a few hundred pounds, can make a real difference to a cause you care about, and it costs nothing during your lifetime. You can give a fixed sum, a specific item, or a percentage of what is left after your family are looked after.

There is a practical benefit too. Gifts to registered UK charities in a will are exempt from inheritance tax. And if you leave 10 per cent or more of the value of your estate above the tax threshold to charity, the tax rate on the rest of your estate falls from 40 per cent to 36 per cent. Not a small saving.

Mostly, though, it is a lovely way to say thank you to a cause that has meant something to you or to a loved one. If you have been thinking about it, I would encourage you to have that conversation.

If you’d like to explore leaving a gift to charity in your will, we are always happy to help you get the wording right. https://beesandco.com/

06/07/2026

My Skydive for Hope for Tomorrow.

Most people know that dying without a will causes trouble. But here's something that might surprise you:The actor Robin ...
29/06/2026

Most people know that dying without a will causes trouble. But here's something that might surprise you:

The actor Robin Williams left a clear will and made careful plans. Yet his family still ended up in a dispute, because the will did not spell out what should happen to the personal belongings inside his home, things like his clothing, awards and collectables.

It is a reminder that the small, sentimental items often cause the biggest upset. A watch, a ring, a painting on the wall. These are the things families remember and, sometimes, fall out over.

A well-drafted will thinks about those details, not just the house and the bank account.

If you want to make sure the small things are covered, too, I can help you get it right.

29/06/2026

Well, I’ve gone and done it. Last Saturday 28th June, I jumped out of a perfectly good aeroplane at 13,500 feet for Hope for Tomorrow.

It is amazing what it does to you, sitting on the edge of an open door that high up. A great experience, and one I have no need to repeat.

Thanks to your generosity, I've raised more than £1,900 so far, and with Gift Aid,
that figure increases. It all goes towards mobile cancer care units that bring treatment closer to patients.

The page is still open if you would like to donate.
Here is the link: https://www.justgiving.com/page/john-bees-1?utm_source=CL&utm_medium=DT
Thank you, every one of you.

The other day someone said to me, 'I made a will years ago, so that’s that sorted, isn't it?'Not quite! While a will doe...
26/06/2026

The other day someone said to me, 'I made a will years ago, so that’s that sorted, isn't it?'

Not quite! While a will doesn’t expire, life moves on around it:
A marriage can cancel it entirely.
A divorce changes who benefits.
New grandchildren arrive, houses are bought and sold, savings grow, and the people you named as executors may no longer be the right choice, or may have passed on themselves.

So, in an ironic way, it’s a live document.

I usually suggest reading your will through every three to five years, and certainly after any big life event. It takes a few minutes and tells you whether it still says what you want it to say. Get in touch if you need any advice about your will.

Please try and have a conversation with your parents about their wishes. You don’t need to make it heavy. A simple ‘have...
22/06/2026

Please try and have a conversation with your parents about their wishes. You don’t need to make it heavy. A simple ‘have you got everything sorted, just so we know?' is often enough to open the door.

The families who talk about these things in good time are always the ones who cope best when the day comes.

If your parents, or you, could do with a friendly chat about getting things in order, I’m always happy to help when you’re ready. https://beesandco.com/

It’s the season for gap years, festivals, summer jobs abroad and first big adventures. If you have a son or daughter hea...
15/06/2026

It’s the season for gap years, festivals, summer jobs abroad and first big adventures. If you have a son or daughter heading off, you will no doubt, have thought about travel insurance, vaccinations and a working phone.

But there’s one most families never consider. Once your child turns eighteen, you no longer have an automatic right to act on their behalf. If they were in an accident overseas and could not make decisions for a while, you could find yourself locked out of their bank, unable to deal with insurers, and potentially facing a slow, costly court process just to help your own child.

A Lasting Power of Attorney solves this. It lets your young adult choose, in advance, someone they trust to step in if they ever cannot act for themselves. It’s not morbid, it’s just sensible, like the insurance.

It takes one short conversation and a bit of paperwork, and then everyone can relax and enjoy the trip. https://beesandco.com/contact/

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