Wills and Probate Solicitors in Rochester

Wills and probate solicitors help people plan their affairs and support families in dealing with an estate after a death. They draft wills, prepare lasting powers of attorney and set up trusts for children or vulnerable relatives. Where someone has lost capacity, they can act for attorneys and deputies and apply to court for a statutory will. Inheritance tax planning covers the nil-rate bands, the residence nil-rate band and lifetime gifts.

When someone dies, solicitors can value the estate, report it for inheritance tax purposes and apply for the grant of probate. Without a will, letters of administration are needed instead and the intestacy rules decide who inherits. Solicitors collect the assets, pay debts and distribute the estate. A deed of variation can change who inherits within two years of the death, and disputes over a will can often be settled by agreement.

Rochester is a riverside town on the Medway in north Kent, next to Strood and Chatham. Wills and probate solicitors in Rochester can draft wills, plan for inheritance tax and handle probate. Firms in Strood, Chatham and Gillingham also take on this work.