Karen Phillips, a Partner in the Private Client team at Blackadders, helps clients organise their personal affairs, offering advice on wills, succession planning and asset protection. Here, she tells egg why it’s essential to think about yourself and put your own needs first…
“Difficult conversations can be hard. Talking about Wills and ageing can feel uncomfortable or even scary. But avoiding the topic and not having these discussions with family or friends can lead to conflicts down the road - we’ve all seen it happen.
“I’m someone who loves a good list. I’d be lost without them! But, if I’m honest, I seldom put myself on my own lists. I’m always ‘busy’ with other people’s lives, rarely stopping to think about my own. “It’s ironic really because, every day at work, I ensure my clients receive the best advice possible. When writing this, I realised that I’ve helped many close friends prepare for what would happen if they lost capacity or passed away. But with some of my extended family, I’m not certain if they’ve done the same. Have they appointed guardians for their children in their Wills? Have they thought about who would make decisions for them if they lost capacity? I suspect many haven’t. Sometimes, it’s hard to have these conversations with those closest to us.
“We all make choices about where to spend our money. A city break seems much more appealing than sitting down to prepare a Will or planning for incapacity. I get it! However, I would urge you to take a moment, pick up the phone, and talk to me (or your own solicitor) about the legal documents you should have in place.
“Have you thought about what would happen if you couldn’t make decisions for yourself? Or what will happen to your assets after you’re gone? Most of us think we have plenty of time to get these things sorted - and usually, we do - but what if we don’t?
“Could 2025 be the year you start having those difficult conversations with your family? It can be complicated, but there’s normally a solution that protects all your loved ones.
“As for me, I know that if something happens, all my husband needs to do is search for the email I send him every Christmas holiday: “What You Need to Know If I Die.” He can then call the Blackadders office and someone will help him.
“But in 2025, I am going to prepare a new list prioritising ‘me’ which, unfortunately, means I am going to hit the gym!”
egg partners Blackadders LLP is a leading Scottish law firm with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen. Our egg members have the chance to meet Private Client Partner Karen Phillips (Wills, Asset Protection and Power of Attorney) at Edinburgh’s egg & co on 20th November. You can also get advice from Family Law Partner Shona Smith who specialises in divorce, separation and mediation. To book your complimentary 30-minute, 1:1 session, email [email protected] together with your preferred lawyer and time slot, available from 10am- 5pm. All details will be kept completely confidential.
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