Manchester's solicitors write a great many wills for people who assumed they did not need one. A couple who own a semi in Chorlton, a sole trader with a van and a workshop in Ardwick, a retired teacher in Didsbury with a pension and some savings: all of them have an estate that the intestacy rules would divide in ways they never intended, and none of their unmarried partners or stepchildren would inherit anything without a will.
A Manchester will solicitor starts by asking what you own, who depends on you and what could go wrong. From there the will can be simple or layered: guardians for children, a trust to protect a share of the home for a second family, provision for a disabled relative that does not disturb their benefits, gifts to Manchester charities, and tax planning where the estate may exceed the inheritance tax allowances. Firms across the city also draft wills that follow Islamic inheritance principles while remaining valid in English law, a service in steady demand in Cheetham Hill, Rusholme and Longsight.
Lasting powers of attorney are usually prepared at the same time, one for finances and one for health and welfare, so that family can act if dementia or illness strikes; without them, relatives must apply to the Court of Protection, which is slower and dearer.
When someone dies, the same firms handle probate: valuing the estate, reporting to HMRC, obtaining the grant and distributing to beneficiaries. Fixed fees for straightforward estates are common, with an hourly or percentage charge for complex ones; executors are personally liable for mistakes, so professional help is sensible for estates with property or business interests.
The solicitors below offer wills and probate services within 20 miles of Manchester city centre, verified firms first. See wills, trusts and probate explained, the cost of a will, probate costs and our guide to will solicitors.
