Will writing & estate planning in Marlborough
Appointments in Marlborough and the surrounding downland and Kennet villages — Manton, Mildenhall, Ogbourne, Aldbourne and out towards Pewsey.
Call 01793 228068Mon–Fri 9am–7pm · Sat by appointment · Home visits across Wiltshire
Higher values, and the tax that follows
Property values in Marlborough and the villages along the Kennet are among the highest in Wiltshire, and inheritance tax comes up in a much larger share of our conversations here than anywhere else we work. A period house on or near the High Street, a converted barn towards Mildenhall or a cottage on the edge of Savernake can carry an estate past both nil-rate bands on its own, before any savings or pension are counted.
The residence nil-rate band is worth understanding properly in this town, because it is the allowance most likely to be lost by accident. It only applies where a home passes to direct descendants, so a will leaving the house into a discretionary trust for the grandchildren can forfeit it. It also tapers away once an estate passes two million pounds, which around here is not the remote possibility it once was. Wills drafted before the allowance existed frequently need adjusting to capture it.
None of that means anything dramatic is required. In most cases the fix is a redrafted will that uses both allowances properly, a review of how the house is owned, and a sensible pattern of lifetime gifting recorded well enough to stand up years later. We do the arithmetic first and only recommend structure where the numbers justify it.
Retirement, second homes and later life
Marlborough attracts people at both ends of a working life: families drawn by the schools, and a large number of people who have retired here from elsewhere. Both bring planning points. Retirees often hold assets in more than one place — a former home let out, an old pension from a career somewhere else, sometimes a property abroad. A property in France or Spain is not covered by an English will in the way people assume, and forced-heirship rules can override what the will says. We will tell you when a separate local will is needed rather than pretending it is not.
Later-life planning matters here too. Lasting powers of attorney are the priority for anyone in their seventies who has not made them, and the case for doing so is straightforward: while you still have capacity you can choose who acts; once you do not, the Court of Protection chooses, slowly and expensively.
We come out to Marlborough and the surrounding villages at no extra charge, evenings included, and the first conversation is free.
What we can help with in Marlborough
Wills
A clear, legally valid will that says exactly what you mean.
from £150
Trusts
Protect the family home and provide for the next generation.
from £400
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Property & financial affairs and health & welfare, registered for you.
from £150
Estate Planning
Everything pulled together into one clear, co-ordinated plan.
quoted after a free review
Executors
Make sure the people you appoint know what they are taking on.
Executor Pack £200
We also cover
Nearby villages include Ogbourne St George, Mildenhall, Savernake, Manton, Aldbourne, Pewsey — all within our normal visiting area.
Talk to someone in Marlborough
The first conversation is free, and there is no obligation to go any further.