v THE HERALD - Your Community Magazine v 25th August 2022 • The HERALD • Page 59 BRYANT & CO Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers We provide a wide range of accounting and business services to individuals, partnerships and limited companies. We specialise in working with family owned businesses, providing guidance and advice as appropriate. Our services include: • Annual Accounts • Bookkeeping • VAT • Payroll and CIS • Personal and Corporate Tax Returns • Management Accounts • Business Advice • We also provide training on the use of Sage and Quickbooks, and the implementation of computerised and manual accounting systems. • Meetings can be arranged to suit your needs, including evenings and weekends if more convenient to you. • The initial meeting is free of charge, regardless of the length of time, as we believe it is important to develop a good working relationship from the outset. • All fees are agreed in advance of any work being undertaken. Please call Peter or Lisa on 023 8089 4982 to arrange a meeting to discuss your business needs. You can also contact Peter on 07976 808969, or email us at info@bryantandcompany.co.uk Have a look at our website www.bryantandcompany.co.uk for a fuller understanding of our business. ASK A PROFESSIONAL Why Can I not attend the Will meeting? by Lindsay Taylor, Senior Associate Solicitor, CGM Solicitors Attending a solicitor’s o ce can be daunting for many individuals. I see many clients who wish to bring a family member or friend into a meeting. is might be to provide moral support, take notes or provide additional insight into a matter. I welcome this as it can be intense going through personal, nancial and particularly distressing matters. It is important that both during and a er the appointment clients feel supported. ere are some instances where this is not always the best course of action and I must request the family member or friend to step out for a moment. When and if I ask this, it is always for an important reason. As a solicitor, I have a professional obligation to ensure that I am taking my client’s unfettered instructions. ere are many instances of wills being overturned in expensive court proceedings as there is evidence of undue in uence. One example of this is a bene ciary overseeing the instructions and signing of a will. ere could be a good explanation for this such as the person changing their will (testator) wanting to be open with the family member what the changes are, or needing them read over the document due to poor eyesight. is person could also be an executor of the estate and the testator may wish the solicitor to explain everything to ensure that all involved in the will understand what will happen a er the testator dies. e problems come where the changes are in the bene ciary’s favour - or are to the detriment of someone not in the meeting. It is incredibly suspicious to an outsider (and certainly a judge!) looking at surface events and there is a risk of the new will being overturned. e important thing to note is it is not a solicitor’s intention to cast aspersions on any individual. is is a requirement of all solicitors as above all it is important that any hint of challenge to a will can be avoided. If a family member is asked to step out of the o ce, be assured it is for the best of reasons. Lindsay Taylor is a Senior Associate Solicitor based at the Hythe O ce. For your conveyancing and private client needs you can contact CGM Solicitors on 023 8084 2765 for an appointment. Lindsay Taylor, Senior Associate Solicitor, CGM Solicitors
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