Page 10 - Insight Issue 2 _ 2018

A police officer through the ages

(from the perspective of Harvey Howell Solicitors)

Our service to members is to provide an

education. We help you take care of your
assets from start to finish.

We recently gave a presentation to The Union Serving officer
of Catholic Mothers where the average age of
attendee was 70. Many of the issues we raised Most serving officers have assets, a partner
were met with surprise by the audience. They or children and this is the stage when those
asked why things so important were not common officers acknowledge they should be taking
knowledge. Our answer was that it should be some advice – even if it is just to put a Will in
and that is our aim – to make them so. However, place. But please, not a basic Will which just
the real answer is that, if they are lucky, they are repeats what the law says and leaves everything
only the second generation to have ever owned to the surviving spouse and then the children!
assets so this important knowledge would not Where is the protection?
have been needed by their grandparents and
parents – they are the first generation to need If drafted properly, your Will can save your
it! The wealthy have been taking the advice for childrens’ inheritance if you die young and
generations. Look at the Duke of Westminster your partner meets or marries someone else,
who died recently with an estate of £9 billion. goes into long term care or changes their Will
His son did not pay inheritance tax. That family 40 years down the line. Most officers we meet
certainly took up solicitors on their offer of would not be best pleased if they died and their
education – and it paid off! assets, life insurance payments and pension (a
big estate if you add it up – the only silver lining
New recruit in the event of your death) ended up passing to
another person unknown to them.
“I have no assets, spouse or children so I do
not need a Will” If you have young children you will want to be
sure that in the event of you and your co-parent
Maybe you are right – and we will tell you this dying together and before your children reach
to give you comfort at no cost. 18, people you approve of will take care of the
children. A guardian has parental responsibility
However, please remember your biggest assets for a child and can make important decisions
have not yet arrived – your inheritance from for them such as those concerning medical
your parents (and your grandparents). We treatment and education. A person who does
receive many calls from serving officers who not have parental responsibility, but who has
themselves are fine but one of their parents has care of a child, has only limited legal rights to
just had a stroke or their surviving grandparent do what is reasonable in all the circumstances
has just gone into care and is paying £1,000 a to safeguard or promote the child’s welfare. In
week for that care. the absence of appointing a guardian, only the

10 Insight Magazine of Merseyside Police Federation - Issue 2 of 2018 • www.merpolfed.org.uk