In this edition of Wealth Matters, I want to set out Appleton’s commitment and service levels to clients. This may also be useful for readers who are not yet Appleton clients and who are looking for high levels of personalised fiduciary services.

To start with the fundamentals, Appleton does not regard Will drafting as a one size fits all off the shelf exercise. To the contrary, we craft each Will with great care and precision to fully reflect the particular circumstances, needs and wishes of each of our clients. This means that we assess the composition of your estate, your family circumstances, your tax position and indeed ensure that your Will is legally executable.

Appleton has its own admitted attorneys and fiduciary specialists dedicated purely to bespoke Will drafting. Having carefully assessed the needs of each client, we undertake to draft your personalised Will within 48 – 72 hours of receipt. We do not charge for Will drafting, nor for amendments to Wills, nor for our safe off-site Will storage service.

Unlike most deceased estate services, Appleton applies a dedicated team of two fiduciary experts to the administration of each individual estate. This helps ensure several important service levels.

Firstly, this means that there is always someone available to our clients and heirs to answer any questions they may have during the deceased estate process. It also means we are proactive in keeping heirs updated on the progress of each step of the administration process.

Secondly, applying two specialists to each estate means that we can deliver exceptional time and service efficiencies to each estate. This means wrapping up the administration process more quickly, which in turn results in heirs receiving their distributions more quickly. This not only has significant financial implications, but it also reduces the emotional trauma attached to each estate.

Our collective 150 years of experience in fiduciary service also means that we have developed national networks to deal with each Masters office, SARS office and deeds office across the length and breadth of the country. This allows us to deal with delays and bottlenecks that others often struggle with for months if not years.

Finally, we apply a sensible, competitive and cost-effective sliding scale fee regime to our professional services.

To find out more about Appleton ‘The Fiduciary Specialists’ please visit our website, https://appleton.com/ or speak to your Warwick Wealth Specialist, or Financial Advisor, or email us at: [email protected], or simply call us on our toll-free number 0800 50 60 70.

You may also be interested in some of the helpful video tips we publish each month and these can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/@OrionWealthManagers-fn3jr

Until next month, take good care!