First Stop Wills & Estate Planning

03/06/2026

The review is simple.
You give us the facts.
We identify the gaps.
You decide what planning fits.
Message PLAN along with your email to start.

01/06/2026

Most families do not need a pile of documents.
They need a clear plan.
Your will, trust planning, Power of Attorney, pensions, property ownership, and family wishes should work together.
Message PLAN to start your Family Legacy Protection Review.

29/05/2026

This Sunday I will be jumping out of an aeroplane at 15,000 feet (weather permitting) to raise vital funds for PIPS Su***de Prevention Charity

Su***de is the the leading cause of death in men under the age of 50, with Northern Ireland particularly hit hard.

If you haven’t yet, I would really appreciate a donation of any size. Thanks to all that have already donated 🙏

https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fpipscharity.enthuse.com%2Fpf%2Fjim-smyth%3Ffbclid%3DIwdGRjcASGyctleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe_MAOaSxJ9s3rfikx23yWNWKfDhMXTnj9hONU59witVBG-c0FQuif9HSRXXM_aem_bxDpCifMTbO1Jfh2HH4M6Q%26utm_id%3D97757_v0_s00_e227_tv2_tp1_a1dennhbo0ubdi&h=AUDWw1qY-v_IRIxEw6XBamVEAUhGwmef8rRviAE_BHkwmd2X8qP6ycJJSF0udXbh9cclmlIQKd2PVdOBROFlAM58Z83WYjZYnZ_Bo0OgcUZloC34arSURiWpwLvCG6dg3P7gbVF7OdhBon6bCzgHBaab&s=1

Hi everyone, 28 December 2025, I will be doing a skydive from 15,000ft! It's an incredibly daunting challenge, but I'm doing it for a very worthy cause: PIPS Su***de Prevention Charity. Recently, I ha

27/05/2026

Leave them nothing!!

If you want to make sure they are provided for leave your spouse and kids nothing in your will!!

26/05/2026

Most standard wills do one thing.

They move assets from one person to another.

And for some families, that’s perfectly fine.

But here’s the problem.

Once assets are inherited outright, control is gone.

Your child owns it.
Their circumstances affect it.
Their future decisions affect it.

A discretionary trust works differently.

Instead of everything passing directly to beneficiaries, assets are held within a structure managed by trustees.

That creates flexibility.

Funds can be released when needed.
Beneficiaries can still benefit.
But decisions can adapt to real life.

That matters where there are:
• Vulnerable beneficiaries
• Blended families
• Financial concerns
• Future relationship worries
• Young children

It’s not about controlling people.

It’s about protecting outcomes over time.

25/05/2026

One of the hardest conversations families avoid is inheritance.
Not because they don’t care.
Because they assume there’s plenty of time.
But silence creates assumptions.
And assumptions are where most family disputes begin.
Clear communication now can prevent years of stress later.

20/05/2026

“Sure the kids will sort it out.”

That sentence causes more family disputes than people realise.

Blended families, second marriages, stepchildren, outdated wills, verbal promises.

Most inheritance disputes start with assumptions.

Not clarity.

Research from STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) shows disputes in blended families are rising sharply.

Good planning replaces assumptions with structure.

If you have a blended family we can draft your will to ensure you provide for your surviving spouse while also retaining the value of the assets for your kids.

18/05/2026

The biggest inheritance problem I see isn’t tax.
It’s silence. 🤫

Parents don’t explain their wishes.
Children don’t know where they stand.
Partners assume everything will work itself out.

Then someone dies.
And suddenly the family are trying to interpret what was “meant.”
That’s where disagreements start. 😡
That’s where stepchildren lose out 😔

Good estate planning is not about preparing for death.
It’s about preventing confusion after it happens.

If you haven’t made your wishes clear perhaps it’s time to get in touch!

12/05/2026

The clause that’s worth £100,000!
The most expensive part of your Will might not be the trust.
It might not be the tax planning.
It might not be who you leave your estate to.
It might be the executor clause.
I reviewed a case study involving a £2.9m estate.
The Will included a property trust.
That part made sense.
But the executors were professional company directors.
Based on the fee scale reviewed, the professional executor fees across both deaths could be close to £68,000 including VAT.
Add estate administration, tax work, property work, trust work and disbursements.
The family could be looking at a starting point around £85,000.
Most people never check this.
They read their Will and ask:
“Who gets my estate?”
The better question is:
“Who controls my estate before my family gets anything?”
Check your executor clause.
It matters.

08/05/2026

A basic will gives basic instructions