The concept behind GFP and Legacy Platforms (GFP is a trading arm of Legacy Platforms Ltd) is to provide a comprehensive package of advice and assistance regarding what we like to call “Life Planning”. Some of the services we provide are viewed as “Later in Life” planning, but the reality is that all of these matters are best handled as early as possible, so that you and your loved ones are fully protected.
Although the current statistics are somewhat alarming, the reality is that funeral costs are rising by 5.4% per annum, those suffering from dementia are predicted to rise by 50% in the next 20 years and approximately 75% of Scots are expected to require the use of a Power of Attorney (either directly or indirectly) within their lifetimes. With this information at hand, part of our remit is to educate our clients on the potential difficulties and pitfalls they could face if they do not have the appropriate insurance policies in place. An example of this would be if one had a will or life insurance policy in place to handle their estate after their passing. It would therefore make equal sense if one had a Power of Attorney in place, allowing both you and your loved ones to be safeguarded during your lifetime.

If you were to find yourself incapacitated for any reason, for example an accident, stroke, heart attack or mental illness, a P.O.A. allows your appointed “attorney” (invariably a family member) to handle all your medical and financial affairs per your exact instructions. Without a P.O.A. many vital decisions are taken out of you and your relatives’ hands, leading to a great deal of stress and expense at the worst possible time. As with any insurance policy, one hopes that you never have to use it but if the situation does arise, you and your family will be relieved for having had the foresight to prepare for all eventualities well in advance.

All policies are “frozen” in relation to price, and are fully protected for your lifetime. If you require any advice or have any questions regarding any of these matters, simply call one of our advisors for a chat and we can arrange for one of our Qualified Financial Advisors to assist you with whatever help you may require.

Will Writing & Power of Attorney

Writing a will is crucial to ensure that your wishes are fulfilled after you’ve passed. Failure to create a will could have devastating financial consequences for your loved ones in the future. Take advantage of our professional will writing services to ensure that your future plans are clearly put into place, giving you and your family peace of mind. Increasingly all regulatory bodies recommend that you discuss these complex and important issues with a regulated financial advisor, which is exactly the service we provide. Indeed, it is an increasing trend that services such as wills or POA’s are sold as “add on’s” to other services such as Funeral Plans. Although some of these providers will inevitably provide a quality of service and outcome, the reality is that a document as crucial to your family’s future and welfare should in our opinion not be treated so lightly or as a “by product”. Always seek the best advice available, namely an Independent Financial Advisor.

So that the client understands the importance and purpose of a Power of Attorney document, the best analogy one could provide is that it is a “keep safe”, something that is placed away safely for the future and hopes that one never has to use. However, common and increasing trend, especially with our population growing ever older, is that family members regularly find themselves in a form of legal “minefield”, where they have an ailing relative in hospital but find themselves “handcuffed” by the state’s laws regarding either the movement of that relative from one facility to another or the ability to access their funds, despite being in the position of being the only direct relative. A POA, drawn and lodged years earlier will remove all this stress, heartbreak and additional cost, making a difficult situation considerably less painful. Instead of fighting the judicial system, having to instruct solicitors and go through lengthy, heart breaking ordeals, a POA lodged years earlier will remove all these difficulties, giving the chosen attorney or attorneys of the estate the power to make quick and relatively painless decisions. The appointed attorney can access the loved one’s funds, sell properties if required and have the loved one moved quickly to the proper facility, where they will receive the best form of care. To simplify, what can be an incredibly stressful situation at the worst possible time, is made considerably easier. Indeed, the UK Government on the UK.GOV site stated in August 2017 that a POA “is a lasting power of attorney, a powerful tool and an important choice”. Furthermore, data in 2017 shows that Powers of Attorneys have almost trebled in the last decade as people begin to realise their importance