Morden Hall Park belongs to everyone because its last private owner left it to the National Trust in his will. That is the grandest example of what a will does in Merton, but the ordinary ones matter more: a semi in Morden or Mitcham bought in the 1960s, a pension, savings, and a decision about which of three children gets what. Without a will the intestacy rules decide, and they make no provision for an unmarried partner, a stepchild or a friend who did the caring.
Merton's older residents, many of them in the interwar streets of Morden, St Helier and Raynes Park, generate much of the work. Lasting powers of attorney are the most useful documents most people have never made: one for finances, one for health and care, both registered while the person still has capacity, so that a son or daughter can deal with the bank and the care home when the time comes. In Wimbledon Village and Parkside the question is inheritance tax, and a will solicitor will look at lifetime gifts, the exemptions for a spouse and for a home passed to children, and trusts for grandchildren. Jointly owned property, business interests and assets abroad need dealing with in the document rather than assumed.
After a death the same firms take on probate: valuing the estate, settling tax with HMRC, obtaining the grant and distributing the money. Executors can do it themselves, but a house sale, a dispute between beneficiaries or an estate near the tax threshold usually justifies professional help, paid from the estate.
Single and mirror wills and lasting powers of attorney are mostly fixed-fee; probate may be fixed, hourly or a percentage, so ask which.
Will and probate solicitors near Merton are listed below, verified firms first. For the basics, start with the article on lasting powers of attorney, then wills, trusts and probate; the cost guides cover wills and probate, and the will solicitors page describes the service in general.
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