One of the biggest reasons people ask for legal help is to understand the ways in which they can protect their children for when they are no longer around.   If you are the person who is diagnosed with the life threatening or terminal illness, it may be that whilst you are in a loving relationship, your concern is that if and when you die, your spouse/partner may meet somebody new, and you want to make sure your children are protected.  Conversations around this can be incredibly difficult for obvious reasons, but they are ones that should be had to enable you to plan ahead.  The type of things you may need to think about include:

• Guardianship of children

• Trusts for children

• Protecting disabled children

• Providing for university and life events

• Estranged parents and their rights

• Family relationships after death

• Financial support and benefits

• Parental responsibility

• Grandparents’ Rights

• Should your property be severed so you can control your share?

• Nominating insurance and/or pensions to children and how this works 

• Letters of wishes

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Being affected by life threatening illness can impact heavily on relationships and sadly, some will break down.  Whilst LegaCare cannot get involved in contentious family matters, we are able to advise of the implications of a breakdown in a relationship, on children, property, finances and business interests. The more common areas are : 

• Financial responsibility agreements.  These are agreements that take into account your assets and liabilities, such as home, pensions, employment benefits, bank accounts, mortgages, insurance policies and debts

• Living arrangements/contact for children

• How to ‘get divorced’ 

​When we have worked through the concerns and put everything in place the sense of relief and peace of mind and the ability to ‘park all the horrible stuff’ allows them the freedom to continue living.

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