Facts & Figures

"1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men is likely to need long term care at some stage. The average cost of a stay in a residential home is £20,000 a year and much of the cost must be funded from your own pocket."

Association of Retired Persons Over 50

Death/Incapacity

Eventual death is certain, yet far too many of us fail to make effective plans for our death. The consequences of this lack of planning can cause distress, discomfort, worry and possibly financial loss to family and friends left behind.

Making a Will is the essential cornerstone to planning for death. A properly made Will achieves a number of objectives - not the least of which is to minimise the tax which the Exchequer will take and thereby maximising the financial benefits enjoyed by the chosen beneficiaries.

We are all living longer but the adverse consequence of that fact is that many of us will suffer relatively long periods of physical incapacity, ill health, and dependency on others as we enter our final years.

It is possible to mitigate such consequences by making a Living Will or Advance Directive so that the medical and other people caring for us can know something of our wishes as to the type of medical care we want to receive, if we are unable to communicate effectively.

Mental incapacity is increasingly likely as we grow older. The consequences of losing the ability to manage one's own affairs can cause great difficulties - to family members who have to cope with the arising issues, as well as to ourselves. The simple expedient of setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney can go a long way towards mitigating these problems.