CALLING all you over 50s homeowners...it is necessary to understand the facts and benefits of preparing well planned but cost-effective legal documentation that could protect your property from having to be sold to pay for future care home fees.

And also calling the growing number of people affected by inheritance tax, with its £263,000 threshold...the massive increase in house prices in recent years has made your home an even more precious asset to be protected.

And protect it we do, with a vengeance. We insure it against damage by the elements, we fit locks on doors and windows, take out life assurance to cover mortgage repayments and constantly maintain it against the ravages of time.

Couples work hard for years, to provide a valuable asset to pass on to their children, but their home may be under real threat if they later require long-term care and go into a home. Sadly, at least one in three women and one in five men will need formal care during their lifetime.

At least 70,000 homes were sold in the UK to fund care costs in 2001; that is 200 a day. There are more than 500,000 people living in residential care, and with a growing population of elderly the figure is rising.

It upsets me when I see widows and widowers, who together worked so hard for the family home they intended to leave to their children, suddenly having to sell up to pay £20,000-£30,000 a year care costs.

It was all so avoidable had they organised their affairs effectively when their partners were alive.

Yet three out of four adults in the UK have not made sufficient provision to protect their assets against potential care costs and inheritance tax, mainly because they don't know how to go about it.

They are also uneasy: Will they get good service and value for money?

Even if this is something that you have previously looked into, it is important to review it regularly as circumstances and asset values change.

When seeking professional advice on estate planning make sure that you are offered a free personal home visit. That way, you can ensure that you are at your most relaxed when explaining what you want to achieve.

A relaxed, sensitive and friendly approach is necessary for everyone, particularly elderly people who can be vulnerable and who often require careful and clear explanations of the different, sometimes complex services available.

If you could spend a few hundred pounds now so that could save the family home to pass on to your loved ones, wouldn't you think that is good value?

To have peace of mind, phone 01904 720646 to arrange a personal review, or 0800 328 2364, quoting reference 8684, for a free information pack.

Updated: 10:11 Thursday, May 20, 2004