Protect your business. Protect your legacy.

Running a business takes years of hard work, risk and sacrifice. A standard Will often is not enough when a business is involved. We help business owners put a Will in place that protects their company, their family, and the legacy they have built.

Business succession planning
Inheritance tax reliefs
Qualified, insured SWW members

Book a free consultation

The basics

Why business owners need specialist Will advice

A general Will might cover your house, savings and personal belongings, but your business often needs special attention. Without the right planning, your company could end up tied up in delays, disputes, or even forced into the wrong hands.

Specialist planning helps you answer the important questions: who inherits your share of the business, can your co-director or partner buy out your share, and how do you minimise Inheritance Tax on business assets?

Wondering whether a will writer or a solicitor is better suited to sorting your business succession plan? Our guide compares the two.

Business successionMaking sure ownership passes to the right person.
Cross-option agreementsSo your business can be bought out smoothly rather than inherited outright.
Inheritance Tax planningMaking use of reliefs such as Business Relief where applicable.
Family provisionEnsuring loved ones are financially secure, even if not involved in the business.

What we help with

Planning that works in practice

We take the time to understand your business, not just your paperwork, so the plan we put in place actually works when it matters.

Business succession

Making sure ownership passes to the right person, whether that is a family member, business partner, or trusted employee.

Avoiding deadlock

Preventing disputes between co-owners and family members over what happens next.

Inheritance Tax

Making use of reliefs such as Business Relief, where applicable, to protect business assets.

Providing for family

Ensuring loved ones are financially secure, even if they are not involved in the business.

Cross-option agreements

Working alongside shareholder or partnership agreements so your business can be bought out smoothly.

Business LPA

Pairing your Will with a Business LPA so someone can run the company if you lose capacity.

What happens to your business without a proper Will?

Without a Will that properly accounts for your business, the consequences can be serious:

Intestacy rules decide who inherits

Family left with a business they cannot run

Contracts, clients and staff in limbo

Avoidable Inheritance Tax

Disputes between family and co-owners

Months of delays and uncertainty

Protect your business and family

Questions, answered

Business Wills FAQs

Not always a different Will, but almost always different advice. A standard Will often fails to account for business shares, partnership agreements, or succession planning, which can create real problems for your co-owners and your family.

Without a Will, your business assets are distributed according to the intestacy rules. Your share could pass to family members who have no interest or experience in running the business, or leave your business partners without clear ownership, which can disrupt or even end the company.

Yes, but it is important to check this against any partnership or shareholder agreement first. Many agreements set conditions on how shares can be passed on, and a cross-option agreement can help make sure your family receives fair value while your business partner retains control.

It is a legal arrangement that gives surviving business partners the option to buy the share of an owner who has died, and gives the family the option to sell it. It is often used alongside a Will to keep ownership within the business while still providing for your family financially.

It depends on your circumstances. Certain business assets may qualify for Business Relief, which can reduce or remove the Inheritance Tax due. We can advise on whether your business may qualify and how to structure your estate accordingly.

Complete the picture

Add a Business LPA too?

Your Will decides what happens to the business after you die. A Business LPA protects it while you are alive, letting someone you trust step in if you ever lose capacity. Most business owners put both in place.

Explore Business LPAs

Keep exploring

Our other services

Friendly, professional guidance across everything estate planning, always personal and always in plain English.

Your business deserves a proper plan.

A friendly chat costs nothing and sorts a lot. Talk to us about protecting your business, with no obligation and no jargon.

Book an appointment Call 01934 442030

Home visits across Somerset, or online anywhere in England and Wales.