A Will is a vital document, it tells everyone what you want to happen to your money, possessions, and property after you die. They make it so much easier for your family and loved ones to manage your affairs.

If you die without a will, there are certain rules which dictate how your money, property or possessions will be allocated. This may not be the way that you would have wished your estate to be distributed.

Whereas a Will sets out how you want your estate to be distributed after your death, a Trust is a way of controlling your assets for your chosen beneficiaries, either during your lifetime or after your death.

When writing a Trust you can decide what each beneficiary should have or let the trustees have discretion over how and when they distribute funds. A Trust can be useful in many scenarios including protecting against care home fees and passing inheritances to children.

A Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document where one person gives another person the right to make decisions on their behalf.  They are needed when you want someone to act on your behalf in financial or medical decisions.

You can only set up a Power of Attorney while you still have the ability to weigh up information and make decisions for yourself, known as 'mental capacity' - so it's worth getting advice at an early stage.