Wills, Trusts & Estates · Wills
Part of our wider Wills, Trusts & Estates services
Wills & Estate Planning Solicitors Chester
A professionally drafted will ensures your estate passes to the right people, in the right way. We explain every option before you commit — and confirm costs in writing before any work begins.
Chester-based, acting across Cheshire, North Wales (Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbighshire) and throughout England and Wales. This is not a will-writing service — your will is drafted by a qualified solicitor.
No obligation — talk through your options first. Costs explained clearly.
Why a solicitor-drafted will matters
A will drafted by a qualified solicitor is less likely to be challenged, misinterpreted, or fail to achieve your intentions. Online will-writing services and DIY wills frequently contain errors that only become apparent after death — when it is too late to correct them.
Most people who contact us describe their situation as straightforward. Many discover, within the first few minutes of conversation, that it is not. A second family, jointly owned property, a business interest, a child with a disability, a stepchild without an automatic right to inherit, or a family member you wish to exclude from your estate — any of these changes what your will needs to do, and what may happen if it is not drafted correctly. Our solicitors conduct a structured fact-find with every client before drafting anything.
Is your situation a little more complex?
Many clients come to us with estates that go beyond a straightforward will. We have specialist pages for clients whose circumstances require more tailored advice.
Landlords & property investors
Wills and estate planning for clients with buy-to-let portfolios and investment property.
Find out moreBusiness owners & directors
Business Property Relief, succession planning, and wills for company directors.
Find out moreFarmers & rural landowners
Agricultural Property Relief and succession planning for farming families.
Find out moreFamilies with a disabled beneficiary
Discretionary trusts and specialist wills to protect vulnerable or disabled loved ones.
Find out moreBlended families
Protecting children from a previous relationship while providing for a new partner.
Find out moreRecently divorced
Updating your will and estate plan after separation or divorce.
Find out moreFixed fees confirmed in writing before any work begins. View our fees →
Single wills
A single will setting out your wishes for your estate, guardianship of children, and funeral arrangements. Drafted to reflect your specific circumstances.
Mirror wills
Mirror wills for couples — each leaving their estate to the other, with provisions for what happens if you both die simultaneously or the survivor remarries. A cost-effective option for couples with straightforward estates.
Wills with testamentary trusts
A will that creates a trust on death — protecting assets for vulnerable beneficiaries, minor children, or where you want to control how and when assets are distributed.
Property and business wills
Wills dealing with property held as tenants in common, business interests, agricultural property, and assets requiring specialist structuring.
Get a fixed-fee will quote — all prices include VAT
Build your personalised will, trust, or LPA quote in under 2 minutes. Fixed fees confirmed in writing before any work begins.
Free Tool
Inheritance Tax Calculator
Find out how much IHT your estate could face — and which thresholds, reliefs, and allowances apply. Free, instant, no obligation.
Use the IHT calculatorCommon Questions About Wills
Who can witness a will?
A will must be signed in the presence of two independent witnesses who are both present at the same time. Witnesses must be over 18 and must not be beneficiaries under the will (or married to a beneficiary). If a beneficiary witnesses the will, they may lose their entitlement.
Can an executor of a will be a beneficiary?
Yes — an executor can also be a beneficiary. This is very common in practice. Many people appoint a spouse, adult child, or close friend as both executor and beneficiary. There is no legal prohibition on this in England and Wales.
How much does a will cost?
The cost of a will depends on its complexity. A straightforward single will is typically less expensive than a mirror will or a will with testamentary trusts. At PDA Law, we confirm costs in writing before any work begins. View our fees or build your quote in under 2 minutes.
Do you make wills for clients in North Wales?
Yes. We act for clients across North Wales — including Wrexham, Flintshire, Deeside and Denbighshire. Our Chester office is conveniently located close to the North Wales border. We can also advise by telephone or video call.
What your will should cover
Executors
Who you appoint to administer your estate. We advise on the responsibilities involved and whether professional executors are appropriate.
Beneficiaries
Who inherits your estate and in what proportions. We advise on the implications of different structures — including what happens if a beneficiary predeceases you.
Guardianship
If you have minor children, your will should appoint a guardian. We advise on the legal effect of this appointment and how to structure it.
Trusts and conditions
Whether any part of your estate should be held on trust — for example, for minor children, a vulnerable beneficiary, or to protect assets from a future relationship.
Thinking about inheritance tax?
Your will is one part of a wider estate planning picture. If your estate may be subject to inheritance tax, we can advise on structuring your will alongside a tax planning strategy — including the use of trusts and lifetime gifting.
Return to the wills and estate planning solicitors hub
Related Wills & Estates Services
Trusts
Protecting assets and providing for beneficiaries through trust arrangements.
Tax Planning
Inheritance tax planning and lifetime gifting strategies.
Deed of Variation
Redirect an inheritance after death to reduce tax or benefit other family members.
IHT Calculator
Estimate your estate's potential IHT exposure in under two minutes — free, instant, no obligation.
Related: Probate
Probate Solicitors
Grant of probate, estate administration and executor support.
Applying for Probate
How to apply for a grant of probate — step by step.
Full Estate Administration
We manage the entire process from asset valuation to final distribution.
Executor Advice
Practical guidance for executors — duties, liability and family disputes.
Do I Need Probate?
When probate is required and when it is not.
Probate Fees
Transparent pricing for probate and estate administration.
Related: Lasting Power of Attorney
Lasting Power of Attorney
Appoint someone you trust to manage your affairs if you lose capacity.
Types of LPA
Property & Financial Affairs vs Health & Welfare — which do you need?
Making an LPA
Step-by-step guide to making a lasting power of attorney.
LPA Costs
Solicitor fees, OPG registration fees and what affects the total cost.
Registering an LPA
How to register an LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian.
Court of Protection
If a loved one has lost capacity without an LPA, a Court of Protection order may be needed.
Legal Insights & Guides
Finance Act 2026: Agricultural IHT
APR & BPR cap planning for farmers — how to save up to £810,000.
Nil Rate Band Explained
How the nil rate band works and how to make the most of it.
Mirror Wills for Couples
What mirror wills are, how they work, and when they are appropriate.
Deed of Variation After Death
How a deed of variation can redirect an inheritance after someone has died.
Gift with Reservation of Benefit
The rules on gifts where you retain a benefit — and the IHT traps to avoid.
Protecting Your Home with Trusts
How property trusts can protect your home from care fees and IHT.
You can view our fixed fee schedule in full before making any commitment: Wills & Estate Planning Fees
Ready to make your will?
Speak to a wills solicitor today. We explain every option before you commit — costs confirmed in writing. Chester, Cheshire & North Wales.
No obligation — talk through your options first.
Our Team
Speak to a Member of Our Team
David Stahler
Wills, Trusts & Estates Executive
David is our first point of contact for clients enquiring about wills. He brings a warm, personable approach to what can be a sensitive and sometimes uncomfortable subject — and clients consistently remark on how at ease he makes them feel. Discreet, approachable, and thorough, David goes the extra mile to ensure every client achieves the outcome they are looking for.
Laura Kirton
Wills & Probate Solicitor · 10 Years Qualified
Laura is a qualified solicitor with ten years' post-qualification experience, specialising in wills, probate, and lasting powers of attorney. She is known for her calm, methodical approach — qualities that are particularly valued by clients navigating emotionally complex and sensitive family situations. Laura has a genuine understanding of the dynamics that arise within families at difficult times, and brings both legal expertise and thoughtful insight to every matter she handles.
Darren Steele
Senior Private Client Executive · STEP Member
Darren Steele — STEP Member since 2011. STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) is the leading professional body for practitioners in trusts, estates and inheritance tax planning. Darren has advised on complex estate planning matters throughout Chester, Cheshire and North Wales for over a decade.
Nikolina Vukovic
Legal Executive — Wills, Trusts & Estates
Nikolina specialises in probate, wills, trusts and estate administration. She supports clients through what is often one of the most difficult periods of their lives — from straightforward administrations to complex estates involving property, inheritance tax and sensitive family circumstances.
Get Started
Speak to a Wills Solicitor
No obligation · Fixed fees confirmed upfront · Serving Chester, Cheshire & North Wales
Prefer to speak with us? Call 01244 757352