Not just a will writer

When people first contact us, they often begin by asking a very simple question: “How much does a will cost?”

It’s a perfectly reasonable question. Wills are often seen as a simple document — something you complete once and put away for the future.

But in reality, a will is rarely just a document.

At Hexagon, we approach this work slightly differently. While we do of course prepare wills, our role is not simply to record instructions. Our role is to help families structure their affairs properly so that their wishes are protected and their estate passes in the most appropriate way.

In other words, we don’t simply write wills — we help clients plan.

Many people assume their circumstances are straightforward. A typical example might be a married couple who say: “We just want everything to go to each other and then to the children.”

On the surface, that sounds simple enough. But once we start exploring the details of a family’s situation, important considerations often emerge. These can include how inheritance tax allowances apply, how assets are owned, whether children’s inheritance should be protected, and what might happen if circumstances change in the future.

For example, passing everything outright to a surviving spouse may seem like the most obvious approach. However, this can sometimes create unintended consequences later on, particularly where families want to ensure that assets ultimately pass to their children.

There may also be considerations around protecting tax allowances, planning for business assets, or ensuring that property structures allow the most appropriate planning to take place.

These are not unusual issues. In fact, they are extremely common. This is why our process always begins with a conversation rather than a document.

We take time to understand your family, your estate, and what you want to achieve. Only once that picture is clear do we consider how best to structure the planning.

Sometimes the outcome is a straightforward will. In other cases, it may involve additional provisions or planning structures designed to protect the family’s long-term interests.

The important point is that the planning comes first.

A will is simply the document that records those decisions.

So while many people initially contact us asking about the cost of a will, what we are really doing is helping families think carefully about how their affairs should be structured.

That is the difference between simply writing a will and providing estate planning advice.

And it is why the right planning today can make a very significant difference for the people you leave behind.

If you are unsure whether your current arrangements are structured properly, we would be happy to review your situation with you.

We regularly help families understand how their wills, tax allowances and planning structures work together, and whether any improvements may be beneficial.

Please contact us to arrange an estate planning consultation.