We all strive to work very hard over the years to buy our own homes and build up our savings for retirement and would like to leave a “little something” for our children and grandchildren after we are gone.
The costs involved in moving into a Care Home can literally wipe out your entire savings and your home may have to be sold to pay for care fees. This could mean that your loved ones could receive very little, or even nothing at all of what you originally intended them to have.
When an individual or couple enters care, the system creates an automatic “means tested” regime and all of your assets, including your home are taken into account. Only those who have very few assets will escape the costs of care.
So what do you need to do?
It is important to safeguard your home and the first step is to look at the way you currently own your home.
Joint tenancy (This is mainly for the banks protection)
The majority of people own their homes “jointly” which means that on first death, the survivor would then own 100% of the full property value and this is when your home becomes vulnerable to attack from Care Costs. (To access free care any cash assets must be less than £14,000 2013)
Tenants in Common (A will alongside will provide the same protection as a property held under a Joint tenancy)
By simply changing the way you own your home to what is known as “Tenants in Common”, combined with the appropriate Trust planning, will effectively ensure that your property is fully protected should either of you enter care.
SO WHAT ABOUT MY OTHER ASSETS- MY BANK ACCOUNTS AND SAVINGS?
Once again, by changing the way your assets are invested and held, can ensure that your cash or liquid assets are also fully protected from Care Costs. Our team are able to advise on all aspects of Care planning and provide you with the correct strategy to ensure that all your assets are fully protected.
Why you should consider setting up a family trust
Protecting Your Assets
There was a time when setting up a Family Trust was for the rich famous and elite. Today, Family Trusts are a vital financial planning tool for the ordinary man or woman with even relatively modest assets to protect.
A Family Trust:
- Is simple straight forward and low in cost to set up acts like a safe deposit box for your assets is designed to protect your estate against tax and costly probate charges.
- Can help to protect against care home fees.
- Enables your instructions to be carried out to the letter.
- Avoids the delay and stress caused by probate.
- Enables you to control your assets and estate.
- Provides access to your hard earned wealth at all times.
By combining a Family Trust with specific investment advice, the resulting government provided tax relief may ensure that your entire estate passes free of IHT, probate fees and charges such as care home fees to your loved ones.
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Useful Links
- Sell home to pay for careOpens in a new tab
- Article Sell home to pay for careOpens in a new tab