Wills and Probate Solicitors

Coodes Solicitors / Personal Legal / Wills and Probate Solicitors

Wills and Probate Solicitors

It is never too early or too late to start thinking about the future. And with the help of our friendly Wills and Probate solicitors, making a Will and putting your final affairs in order could not be simpler.

At Coodes Solicitors, we are proud to serve our local communities with specialist lifetime planning and Estate Administration services. With offices in Truro, Newquay, St Austell, Falmouth, Penzance, Holsworthy, Launceston and Liskeard, we are conveniently located and easily accessible for people across Cornwall and West Devon.

Whether it is you or a loved one who needs advice, we are here to provide expert guidance and a warm, welcoming approach. We can advise you on all aspects of managing your affairs, from making a Will to Powers of Attorney, and from creating a Family Trust to technical tax planning.

How our Wills and Probate solicitors can help

Making a Will
Lasting Powers of Attorney and Living Wills/Advance Decisions
Trusts and tax planning
Trust Administration
Probate and Estate Administration
Court of Protection and mental health care
Elderly and vulnerable client services
Bereavement services
Elder abuse advice
Will and inheritance disputes
Agricultural law and estate planning for farmers and rural land owners

We have carefully developed our services to suit the needs of ordinary people. We offer an integrated elderly client service dedicated to helping people with the unique legal issues they may face as they grow older – from lifetime planning, to housing, to physical and mental health care. Accessibility is one of our core values, so if required, we also offer home visits.

We regularly advise individuals looking to support loved ones who are no longer capable of managing their own affairs, for example, due to an illness or long-term injury. Our Court of Protection team often works side by side with our Mental Health and Community Care team to provide a full range of legal services, from help accessing support to representation in court.

Our team also includes lawyers who specialise in agricultural and rural legal services, enabling us to provide tailored Wills and Estate planning advice to farming families and agricultural land owners across Cornwall and Devon.

We have been independently recognised as one of the leading Wills and Probate teams in Cornwall

Leading client guide, Chambers and Partners has described our Private Client team as “having a substantial regional presence” and “winning plaudits for its Wills, Trust and Probate work” with a “growing Court of Protection and elderly client focus”, and we are Top Ranked in Cornwall.

Get in touch with our Wills and Probate solicitors in Cornwall and Devon

To arrange an initial discussion with one of our Wills and Probate lawyers, give us a call on 0800 328 3282 or fill in our simple online enquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch with you shortly.

We have local offices in Truro, Newquay, St Austell, Falmouth, Penzance, Holsworthy, Launceston and Liskeard. We are also more than happy to discuss alternative meeting arrangements with you, such as video calls, phone calls and email. We can also arrange home visits in certain circumstances.

Our Wills, Probate and lifetime planning expertise

We work tirelessly to improve our knowledge so that we can provide you with the highest quality service possible. Our firm has been awarded the Investors in People standard since 2002 for our dedication to our staff development.

Many of our lawyers and teams are regularly recognised by leading client guides, Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500, as experts in their fields. Our rankings include:

Chambers and Partners

Legal 500:

Several of our team are members of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), an organisation for industry specialists in the area of family inheritance and succession planning. Our STEP members are:

Sarah Cornish – our Wills, Probate and Trusts department manager
Richard Pollock – Chambers and Partners recognised specialist and Court of Protection team leader
Alan Gates
Lucy James

Sarah Cornish, Richard Pollock and Alan Gates are also members of the Private Client Section of the Law Society.

We also have a wide range of other accreditations, including Solicitors for the Elderly, the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) and the Agricultural Law Association.

For more information about our qualifications and professional memberships, please visit our Accreditations page.

Why choose our Wills and Probate solicitors?

When you choose us, you will receive:

Simple, straightforward and practical advice from a team of independently recognised specialists – no legal jargon, just your options delivered at a pace that suits you.
A friendly, welcoming approach – we want you and your loved ones to feel as comfortable as possible during your time with us.
Particular expertise advising elderly and vulnerable clients – we are members of Solicitors for the Elderly and a number of other professional organisations dedicated to supporting older people and people who lack capacity to make their own decisions. More information can be found on our Elderly and Vulnerable Client Services
Skills to cover all your needs – our Wills, Trusts and Probate solicitors work side by side with our other specialist teams to deliver a fully joined up service, including rural services, mental health and community care, conveyancing and residential property, and dispute resolution.
Responsive and proactive – we will provide regular updates and respond to your correspondence promptly. You will also have a personal phone number and email address for your Wills and Probate lawyer so you can get in touch whenever you need.
Fixed fees – for the majority of our clients, we are happy to offer fixed fee packages so that you can always know how much your legal matter will cost.

Fixed Fee Wills

We offer fixed price Wills including:

Simple single Will (includes Will storage) – £250 + VAT
Simple mirror Wills (includes Will storage) – £350 + VAT

In addition, to comply with the Anti-Fraud Regulations, if we do not hold up to date identification documents for you, there will be a compliance fee to verify identity of £30.00 plus VAT per Testator.

For a detailed quote or to speak to one of our specialist lawyers regarding your Will, give us a call on 0800 328 3282 or fill in the online enquiry form on our contact page.

Office accessibility

We aim to make our legal services as accessible as possible for all individuals, regardless of personal circumstances. At many of our offices, it is possible to park directly outside our offices or very close by. We also encourage you to give us a call to discuss any accessibility needs, such as disabled access, with a member of our team. Where you or your loved one cannot reach our offices, we may be able to arrange home visits or use alternative forms of communication.

You can find more information about each of our individual offices by visiting the contact page for your local branch below:

Making a Will

Making a Will is the single most important way you can ensure that your wishes are respected and followed after you die. Whether you are young, middle aged or approaching retirement, there is never a ‘wrong’ time to start thinking about providing for your loved ones.

We can help you make a Will that reflects all your wishes and makes your Estate as tax efficient as possible.

For more information about our Will writing service and answers to commonly asked questions such as should I make a Will, visit our Making a Will page.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) allow you to choose who will be able to make decisions for you in the event (through illness or injury) that you are not able to make those decisions for yourself.

We can help you put in place an LPA that clearly sets out your trusted Attorneys’ responsibilities so you can carry on with life confident that you will be properly cared for if the need ever arises. We would be happy for you to appoint us and regularly act as Professional Attorneys, should the need arise.

We also have experience in advising on and drafting Advance Decisions (otherwise known as ‘Living Wills’) which set out your wishes regarding medical treatment in the event that you are not able to express those wishes yourself.

For more information, please visit our Lasting Powers of Attorney page.

Trusts and tax planning

We can help you set up Trusts to tax efficiently pass on your money and property to your loved ones and to ensure it is inherited according to your wishes. For example, you can use Trusts to safely set aside money for your children or vulnerable family members.

Our tax planning lawyers can also provide advice on the wide range of tax reliefs and exemptions you can use to minimise your Estate’s liability for Inheritance Tax (which could take up to 40% of your assets after your tax-free allowance). Our advice includes using Agricultural Property Relief and Business Relief.

For more information, please visit our Trusts and Tax Planning page.

Probate and Estate Administration

The death of a beloved friend or family member is a tragic experience that many of us will go through at some point in our lives. When you are grieving, it can be difficult to focus on the task of administering the deceased person’s estate. Our Probate solicitors are here to support you through the process and can take on as much or as little of the Estate Administration work as you need.

For more information, please visit our Probate and Estate Administration page.

Court of Protection

If you need legal advice on behalf of someone who struggles to make their own decisions, we are on hand to help. Our skilled Court of Protection lawyers can provide a broad range of advice on supporting individuals who lack mental capacity, such as:

Making Deputyship applications
Making a Statutory Will to prevent your loved one from dying intestate
Making decisions about a person’s care and/or finances

Where appropriate, we work closely with our mental health specialists to ensure you receive the highest quality of guidance and tailored information about additional care and support services for your loved one.

For more information, please visit our Court of Protection page.

Our Elderly Client Services

We have a dedicated team of professional elderly client solicitors who work specifically with older clients and their families. Our elderly client and vulnerable client lawyers have undergone extensive training to ensure they are best placed to support you. Our professional memberships include Solicitors for the Elderly and The Equity Release Council for our unique understanding of the legal, social and economic issues facing the older generation.

Many of our team are also Dementia Friends and Dementia Champions as part of the Alzheimer’s Society initiative to boost support for people living with dementia and their loved ones.

We are here to help you make the best out of life and can provide advice on a vast range of issues, including Wills and other lifetime planning matters, equity release and conveyancing, Trust Administration, and dispute resolution.

For more information, please visit our Elderly and Vulnerable Client Services page.

Our Bereavement Services

It can be very distressing to be told that your illness cannot be cured. However, none of us want to make things difficult for our loved ones either. Talking about your death with your loved ones and about any special wishes can be the most important conversation you have. It can bring you closer as well as giving you both peace of mind.

Remember, in the long run you can hurt people more by the conversations you do not have than by the conversations you do. It is important for everyone’s sake not to delay making significant arrangements like care, Wills and funeral plans.

We have compiled a useful list of things to consider before you die including:

Make a Will or update your Will
Make a funeral plan
Decisions about medical care, treatments and the final days
Make sure your loved ones know your plans
What if someone close to you is dying – have you spoken to them about their wishes?

If you would like to talk to one of our Elderly and Vulnerable Client team in confidence, contact us to make an appointment, call 0800 328 3282 or complete our callback request form.

Elder abuse

It can be devastating to realise that an elderly relative is being subjected to harm. Financial abuse is a common issue affecting older people. Often, it is a person they trust, such as a close family member, who is responsible.

There are many ways older people are financially exploited, such as undue influence over their Will, taking money from their bank accounts, or making them sign documents they do not fully understand.

If you are concerned about elder abuse, we can help you take action to protect your loved one from immediate harm. We will also help you obtain the tools you need to continue to support them going forwards, such as getting a Deputyship Order from the Court of Protection.

For more information, please visit our Elder Abuse page.

Wills and inheritance disputes

When family and inheritance is involved, emotions often run high and disputes can quickly spiral out of control, threatening relationships and incurring huge costs for everyone involved. However, with the right legal advice, it is possible to avoid prolonging the issue and come to a positive solution.

We are ranked by the Legal 500 for our contentious Trusts and Probate expertise. Our Personal Disputes team includes Melanie Grose and Ben Sidgwick, both members of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) with considerable expertise representing clients in Will and inheritance disputes.

For more information, please visit our Wills and Inheritance Disputes page.

Rural and agricultural lifetime planning

Our Wills and Probate team often work in conjunction with our dedicated Rural Services team to provide an integrated agricultural and rural estate planning service.

We can provide advice on all the Wills, Trusts, tax and inheritance matters that often arise in relation to rural Estates. We have worked in partnership with various farming families across Cornwall and West Devon over several generations.

Our agricultural law solicitors are ranked by Chambers and Partners and by the Legal 500 for our agricultural law expertise. Sarah Cornish, Richard Pollock, Pam Johns, Lisa Robinson and Kevin George are fellows of the Agricultural Law Association. Pam is also a Chambers and Partners recognised specialist.

For more information, please visit our Rural Services section.

Get in touch with our Wills and Probate solicitors in Cornwall and West Devon

We have local offices in Truro, Newquay, St Austell, Falmouth, Penzance, Holsworthy, Launceston and Liskeard. We are also more than happy to discuss alternative meeting arrangements with you, such as video call, phone calls and email. We can also arrange home visits in certain circumstances.

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Bernadette Polkinghorne - thank you for your kindness to us both when we came to see you. We had the benefit of your professionalism, in such a friendly and accessible manner.

Sarah Cornish

Department Manager, Partner

Contact

sarah.cornish@coodes.co.uk

01579 347600

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Wills and Probate Solicitors

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