CHRISTINE Moyes is the local agent for National Legal Services (NLS), visiting people in the comfort of their own homes to take instructions about wills.

The company specialises in inheritance tax trusts, protective property trusts, child trusts and enduring power of attorney. The aim is to work with the professions such as IFAS, accountants, estate agents and small businesses to give and receive referrals and business advice services.

To highlight the kind of work undertaken by NLS, the following is a case study:

ALISON, 45 years-old and George, aged 55, bought a home in joint names on the west side of the Malverns with exquisite views over Herefordshire.

It was a large detached property in its own grounds with a private drive; a five bedroomed property, well-maintained and worth about £400,000. George was a semi-retired musician. Alison was an architect.

Between them they were quite well off and could afford a good standard of living.

George did not have any children but Alison had three from her first

marriage.One daughter, Susan (15), had a slight handicap, her right hand was malformed and they did not think that she would ever find a suitable partner.

The other two daughters, Margaret (21) and Rebecca (23), both had jobs and were married. Neither lived with them.

Besides their property, which was free of mortgage, Alison had an investment of £140,000 in a building society. She also had an ISA ith a balance of £50,000 and they had a joint account with savings of

£30,000. George also had money in his own name. He had worked hard in the post office, as well as a musician, and had managed to save £100,000 in his own name that was divided into various investments.

Tragedy struck when both Alison and George were killed in a car accident on the motorway on the way to an exotic holiday.

Neither of them had made a will so Margaret and Rebecca, applied to the probate office to administer the estate and divide up the residue. Their first problem was that their own father stated a claim to part of this to look after the handicapped younger child, Susan.

The three were sure that mum and George would have wanted all the money to go to the three of them in equal shares. Their next nightmare though was to find out that Inheritance Tax (IHT) at 40 per cent would have to be paid on the whole estate before the house could even be sold, a total of £174,000.

They then engaged a solicitor to help out. He informed them that a loan could be arranged with a bank to cover the IHT so that the property could be sold. His fees were high but they felt that he would be better to deal with the father about his claim to the estate.

In fact he was not able to prevent the father's claim even though none of them had seen him for the best part of 12 years. Sadly, Susan did not want to live with her estranged father but had no say in the matter.

There was no will appointing guardians in the event of their mother's death.

Had George and Alison made an Inheritance Tax will they would have been able to save up to £114,000 IHT. In this, Susan could have appointed guardians for her daughters too, as well as executors.

The IHT saving would have applied even if Alison or George had died say five years apart. Find out more by ringing NLS on 0800 328 2364 for a free consultation with your local advisor agent reference 9747.

FACT FILE

Company

National Legal Services (NLS)

Owner

Christine Moyes trading as NLS

Business type

Advice on wills and will trusts

Established

May 2006

Telephone

0800 328 2364 (agent ref 9747)

Web address

www.nationallegalservices.co.uk

E-mail address

christine.moyes@nationallegalservices.co.uk

Location

Operating within Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire