Our Services

Inheritance & Succession
Planning

Thoughtful succession planning is not about anticipating death — it is about ensuring that what you have built can be transferred on your terms, to the people you intend, without unnecessary complication or cost. We advise individuals and families at every stage of that process.

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Succession Planning

Succession that reflects what you actually want — not what the statute provides.

In most legal systems, the law has a default answer to the question of what happens to your estate if you die without a valid will. That answer is set by law, distributes assets in a fixed order among relatives, and takes no account of the particular circumstances of your family, the nature of your assets, or the wishes you may have expressed informally during your lifetime.

For most families, that default answer is not the right one. Business interests need to pass to people with the capacity and intention to run them. Family properties may need to remain intact rather than being divided among multiple beneficiaries. Children from different relationships may have differing needs. Assets in multiple jurisdictions create succession questions that a single, simply drafted will cannot adequately address.

"Succession planning done well is rarely about a single document. It is about a coherent set of arrangements — legal, financial, and familial — that work together to achieve what you intend."

We advise individuals and families on the full range of what that planning requires: from the drafting of a well-constructed will through to the establishment of trusts, the structuring of business succession, advice on family governance, and the coordination of arrangements across multiple jurisdictions where assets or family members are located abroad.

Our approach is to understand your family's situation in sufficient depth before making any recommendations. Good succession advice is specific advice — it is built around your actual assets, your actual family, and your actual intentions. We do not apply standard templates to individual situations.

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At a Glance
Cross-border Multi-jurisdiction planning available
Initial step Confidential consultation, no obligation
Related Services Probate & Estate Administration Trusts & Private Client International Estates Inheritance Dispute Resolution
What We Do

Our inheritance and succession planning services.

From the drafting of a first will to the coordination of complex multi-generational succession arrangements, we advise individuals and families across the full range of planning needs.

Will Drafting & Review

A well-drafted will is the foundation of any succession plan. We draft wills that clearly express your intentions, appoint suitable executors, provide for the people and causes you care about, and withstand scrutiny if their validity is later questioned. We also review existing wills — many wills drafted years ago no longer reflect the client's current circumstances or adequately address their present assets.

Bespoke will drafting for individual circumstances Review and update of existing wills Mirror wills for couples and co-owners Multi-jurisdiction will coordination

Inheritance Structuring

How an estate passes to the next generation has practical consequences that go well beyond the identity of the recipient. Property held jointly, assets subject to overseas succession rules, business interests that need careful handling, and beneficiaries with particular needs or vulnerabilities all require specific structuring decisions. We advise on how to arrange your estate so that it reaches the right people in the right form.

Asset ownership structuring for succession purposes Provisions for vulnerable or minor beneficiaries Property succession and joint ownership advice Business interest succession planning

Family Wealth Transition

The transition of accumulated family wealth between generations is one of the most significant legal events in any family's life. Done well, it preserves relationships and protects what has been built. Done poorly, it generates disputes, destroys value, and creates lasting family fractures. We advise families on how to manage this transition with the legal precision and personal sensitivity it requires.

Family wealth mapping and succession strategy Inter-generational transfer planning Family meeting facilitation and governance support Lifetime gifting advice and documentation

Enduring Powers of Attorney

A will only operates after death. An enduring power of attorney (EPA) appoints someone to manage your financial and property affairs if you lose mental capacity during your lifetime. For individuals with significant assets, dependants, or business interests, an EPA is as essential as a will — and its absence creates serious practical and legal difficulties for families. We draft and advise on EPAs as a standard component of any succession plan.

Enduring power of attorney drafting and execution Appointment of suitable attorneys and substitutes Advice on scope of authority and restrictions Review of existing EPAs for adequacy

Cross-Border Succession Planning

Families with assets or members in multiple countries face succession questions that a single will under a single legal system cannot adequately address. Different jurisdictions have different forced heirship rules, different approaches to the validity of foreign wills, and different tax consequences. We advise on how to structure cross-border succession so that your intentions can be carried out effectively in each relevant country.

Multi-jurisdiction succession strategy Coordination of wills across multiple countries Forced heirship and foreign succession rules advice Cross-border asset ownership structuring

Business Succession Planning

Business interests raise succession questions that are distinct from those arising on purely personal assets. Who is capable of running the business? Should it be sold, held, or restructured? Are there co-shareholders or partners whose rights need to be managed? How do shareholder or partnership agreements interact with the will? We advise business owners on how to address these questions before they become urgent — which is invariably too late.

Business succession strategy and legal documentation Shareholder agreement review and succession provisions Business continuity and management transition advice Co-owner and partnership succession planning

Why planning now protects more than planning later.

Most people defer succession planning. The reasons are understandable — it requires confronting subjects that are uncomfortable to think about, and the urgency is never apparent until it is too late. But deferral carries real costs.

A will drafted in different personal or financial circumstances may not reflect your current intentions. Assets acquired since your last will was made may not be covered. Changes in family composition — marriage, divorce, the birth of children — may have altered the legal effect of provisions you thought were settled.

We advise clients to treat succession planning as a periodic review rather than a one-time event: something to revisit when circumstances change, not something to address only when the question becomes unavoidable.

3×
more likely to face estate disputes without planning
40+
jurisdictions where succession laws differ materially
Our Approach

Succession planning that is specific to your situation — not a standard template.

We take time to understand your assets, your family, and your intentions before we advise on structure or documentation. Every recommendation we make is grounded in your particular circumstances.

Initial estate mapping

We establish a clear picture of your assets, how they are held, and where they are located before any planning begins.

Intentions and priorities identified

We explore what you want to achieve — and what matters most when trade-offs are required.

Jurisdiction analysis

Where assets or family members are located in multiple countries, we identify how each jurisdiction's laws affect your planning options.

Structural recommendations

We advise on the legal structures — wills, trusts, EPAs, ownership changes — that best give effect to your intentions.

Documentation and execution

We prepare and execute all legal documents with the formality the law requires — and the care that their importance demands.

Periodic review

We advise on when to revisit your arrangements and what changes in circumstances warrant a formal review.

Planning Stages

How a succession plan develops.

Succession planning is a process, not an event. The stages below reflect how we approach a comprehensive planning engagement — though the scope and sequence will vary depending on the complexity of your situation.

For clients who already have basic arrangements in place and need a review, we focus on what has changed and what the current documents do and do not address. For those starting from scratch, we work through each stage methodically.

Begin the conversation
Stage One

Estate Mapping & Situation Review

We establish a complete picture of your assets, liabilities, existing legal documents, and family structure. This forms the foundation for every recommendation that follows — and frequently reveals gaps or inconsistencies in existing arrangements that need to be addressed.

Asset inventory — type, location, ownership structure Review of existing wills, trusts, and EPAs Family structure and beneficiary identification Identification of cross-border complications
Stage Two

Intentions & Priorities

We work with you to identify what you want to achieve and what is most important when priorities conflict. This includes discussing beneficiary intentions, any specific provisions you wish to make, and concerns about the management or preservation of particular assets.

Beneficiary intentions and specific bequests Business and property succession priorities Provisions for dependants with particular needs Charitable intentions and legacy planning
Stage Three

Legal Structure Advice

Based on the mapping and priority exercise, we advise on the legal structures that best give effect to your intentions. This may involve wills alone, or a combination of wills, trusts, EPAs, ownership restructuring, and cross-border coordination with practitioners in other jurisdictions.

Will structure and executor selection Trust establishment where appropriate EPA drafting and attorney appointment Asset ownership restructuring recommendations
Stage Four

Documentation & Execution

We prepare all legal documents with the care and precision their importance demands. Wills must satisfy specific formal requirements to be valid — including execution in the presence of qualified witnesses. We manage the execution process to ensure that every document is legally effective from the moment it is signed.

Bespoke will and EPA drafting Supervised execution and witness arrangements Safe storage and access arrangements Executor and attorney notification letters
Ongoing

Review & Update

Circumstances change — and succession arrangements that were appropriate when drafted may become inadequate or inappropriate when family or financial situations shift. We advise clients on when a review is warranted and what changes are needed. Major triggers include marriage, divorce, the death of a named beneficiary or executor, significant changes in assets, and moves between jurisdictions.

Periodic review when circumstances change Will amendments (codicils) or complete redrafting EPA and trust reviews Cross-border update coordination
Family Governance

The legal framework is only part of what makes succession work.

The most technically correct succession plan can still produce disputes, damaged relationships, and destroyed wealth if the family it is designed for does not share a common understanding of its purpose. Family governance is the process of creating that shared understanding — and the legal and structural frameworks that support it.

We work with families at every level of complexity: those with a single property and straightforward family structure, and those with substantial multi-generational wealth, complex asset structures, and family members across multiple countries. The principles are the same; the complexity differs.

Our role is to ensure that the legal documents reflect genuine family intentions — not just the intentions of the person who instructed us — and that the arrangements we put in place are sustainable over the long term, not merely compliant in the short term.

Discuss family governance

Family Constitutions & Charters

A family charter sets out the values, principles, and rules that govern how a family manages and transfers its wealth across generations. We advise on the legal aspects of family charters and help families articulate the provisions that belong in formal legal documents versus those that operate as shared family expectations.

Family Council Structures

For larger family wealth situations, a formal family council provides a governance structure for collective decision-making. We advise on how to constitute and document a family council so that its decisions have appropriate authority — and so that disputes within it can be resolved without resort to litigation.

Succession Conversations

Many succession disputes arise not from legal ambiguity but from communication failures — intentions that were clear to the person who held the wealth but were never explicitly shared with those who will inherit it. We help families structure conversations about succession while there is still time to address what emerges from them.

Dispute Prevention

The most effective dispute prevention in succession matters is good planning: clear documentation, well-chosen executors, adequate provision for those who might otherwise feel compelled to make a claim, and advance consideration of the decisions most likely to generate conflict. We build this analysis into every succession plan we advise on.

Estate Protection

Protecting what you have built — through the transition and beyond.

Succession planning is not only about distribution — it is also about protection. Assets that are improperly structured, poorly documented, or exposed to the claims of creditors or disgruntled family members may not reach the people they are intended to reach. These are the strategies we advise on.

Inheritance (Provision) Claims

In some jurisdictions, certain categories of person — which can include spouses, former spouses, and dependants — may apply to court for financial provision from an estate even where the will makes no provision for them. Whether this applies depends on the applicable law. We advise on structuring estates with that risk in mind and on defending claims where they arise, and we advise potential claimants on whether a claim may be available.

Asset Ownership Structuring

How an asset is owned determines how it passes on death — and whether it passes through your will at all. Assets held jointly with right of survivorship pass automatically to the surviving owner, regardless of what a will provides. Assets held in trust may not form part of your estate. We advise on how ownership should be structured to ensure that your succession intentions can actually be carried out through your legal documents.

Provision for Vulnerable Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries who lack mental capacity, who are financially vulnerable, or who are at risk of exploitation require specific provision in succession arrangements. A direct gift that passes to a vulnerable beneficiary absolutely may not serve their interests — and may expose them to risk. We advise on the use of trusts, discretionary provisions, and other mechanisms to ensure that inheritance genuinely benefits those it is intended for.

Testamentary Capacity & Undue Influence

Wills made when a testator's mental capacity is questionable, or where there is reason to believe that they were made under pressure, are vulnerable to challenge. We advise on how to document the circumstances in which a will is made — including the use of capacity assessments where relevant — to reduce the risk of a successful challenge. We also advise family members who believe that a deceased person's will does not reflect their genuine intentions.

Creditor Protection

Assets that form part of an estate are available to satisfy the estate's debts before they can be distributed to beneficiaries. Where a person has significant liabilities — including contingent liabilities arising from business activity — succession planning needs to account for how those liabilities interact with the estate. We advise on structuring arrangements that provide appropriate protection without crossing into transactions that could be challenged as improper.

Forced Heirship & Foreign Law

Many civil law jurisdictions impose forced heirship rules that reserve a portion of an estate for specific relatives, regardless of what the will provides. Where assets are held in a jurisdiction with such rules, those obligations may form part of the succession planning picture. We advise on how foreign succession laws may affect your planning and how to structure arrangements that give effect to your intentions within the applicable legal constraints.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about wills and succession planning.

What makes a will valid?
The formal requirements for a valid will — such as whether it must be in writing, how it must be signed, how many witnesses are needed, who may act as a witness, and the minimum age and capacity of the person making it — vary by jurisdiction. A will that is valid in one place may not be recognised in another. Where you have assets or connections in more than one jurisdiction, we advise on how to structure your wills so that they work together.
Does marriage or divorce affect my existing will?
Marriage, divorce and other changes in family circumstances can affect a will, and the effect differs between jurisdictions. In some places marriage revokes an earlier will, in others it does not, and the treatment of gifts and appointments in favour of a former spouse after divorce also varies. Any change in marital status should prompt a review of your will and wider succession plan, and we treat it as a standard trigger for review.
Can I leave my estate to whoever I choose?
Whether you are free to leave your estate to whoever you choose depends on the law that applies to it. Some jurisdictions give individuals considerable freedom, others reserve a portion of an estate for particular relatives, and some allow certain family members or dependants to apply for provision. A well-structured succession plan takes the applicable rules into account.
How often should I review my will?
As a general matter, we recommend reviewing your will every three to five years and whenever a significant change in circumstances occurs. The events that most commonly warrant an immediate review include: marriage or divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, the death of a named beneficiary or executor, a significant change in the nature or value of your assets, a move between jurisdictions, and any change in your wishes about how your estate should be distributed. Many clients discover on review that their will, though technically valid, no longer reflects what they actually intend.
What is an enduring power of attorney and do I need one?
An enduring power of attorney (EPA) is a legal document that authorises one or more named persons (attorneys) to manage your financial and property affairs if you lose mental capacity. Unlike an ordinary power of attorney, an EPA continues to be effective — and in fact only comes into full effect — when you lose capacity. Without an EPA, no one has automatic authority to manage your assets if you become mentally incapacitated, and a court application may be required to appoint a person to do so — a process that is slow, costly, and stressful for families. We treat an EPA as an essential complement to a will for anyone with significant assets or dependants.
I have assets in more than one country — do I need separate wills?
The answer depends on the jurisdictions involved and the nature of the assets. Some countries will recognise and give effect to a foreign will; others require local formalities to be satisfied. In some jurisdictions, a foreign will can create practical difficulties even where it is technically valid. The most common approach for clients with significant multi-jurisdictional assets is to have separate wills for each major jurisdiction — drafted to be consistent with each other and to avoid inadvertently revoking the others. We advise on the right approach for your specific asset map and coordinate with local practitioners in relevant overseas jurisdictions.
What happens to my digital assets when I die?
Digital assets — including cryptocurrency, online accounts, digital businesses, and intellectual property in digital form — present succession challenges that traditional estate planning does not fully address. Many platforms have terms of service that do not permit account transfer on death; cryptocurrency requires private key access that may be lost if not properly documented; and digital businesses may have value that is only realisable if management continuity is maintained. We advise on how to document and plan for digital assets as part of a comprehensive succession plan, including the preparation of a digital asset memorandum that sits alongside your will.
Ready to start planning?

The best time to review your succession arrangements is before circumstances make it urgent.

Whether you need a first will, a review of existing documents, or advice on a more complex family or cross-border situation, our solicitors are available for an initial conversation. We will give you an honest assessment of your current position and what, if anything, you should do.

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Your succession plan should reflect your life as it is now — not as it was when you last thought about it.

Whether you have never made a will, have documents that need reviewing, or face a more complex family or cross-border planning challenge, we are available to help. An initial consultation is confidential, practical, and without commitment.

✓ No-obligation initial consultation
✓ All matters handled in strict confidence
✓ Senior solicitor on every matter

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Contact details: For general enquiries: info@xandorilegal.com or +855 97 837 7400