UK cost of Dying is on the rise
The cost of dying is now more expensive than ever before, but professional fees are also declining. According to the recent Sunlife (2018), Cost of Dying Report, it now costs an average of £9,204, a 3.4% increase from 2017 figures. Staggeringly, this is also a 57.1% increase from the cost of dying in 2007, when […]
Executors selling Long Leaseholds offered relief
The case of Villarosa V Ryan (2018) has been a complex one. However, the recent ruling and slight amendments to the Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, will now permit an executor to apply for a lease extension without the usual two year waiting period. Under the 1993 leasehold reform, a tenant must have acquired […]
30% Increase in Legacy Giving During 2018
A recent report, carried out by Remember a Charity and Co-op Legal Services, looking into the legacy giving patterns of UK Wills in 2018 has found that charitable gifts included in Wills has increased by 30% in the past year. Despite the fact that only 6% of the UK population bequest money to charities in […]
Awards Shortlist for ‘Best use of Technology’
The British Wills and Probate Awards are thrilled to announce the shortlist for the ‘Best Use of Technology’ category for the forthcoming Awards on 18th October 2018. The Judges of the awards ceremony received fantastic entrants so were faced with a difficult decision to make when selecting the shortlist. After a lot of deliberating they […]
Kingsman Associates use Solve Legal’s Website Design service
Although Kingsman Associates was founded in 2005, Paul Winterflood, Practice Principal, has recently acquired the business with the aim of providing a comprehensive range of estate planning services delivered in a modern, friendly and expert manner. Hoping to instil a new brand identity, unique to the fresh ethos of the business, Paul contacted Solve Legal to help create a bespoke website. Solve Legal’s unrivalled […]
Exclusive Interview with the new Director of Consulting at Legacy Voice
This summer, Chris Millward joined the Legacy Voice team as the new Director of Consulting. An industry leader in the UK charity sector, he has a wealth of experience, knowledge and skills for creating awareness and ultimately growing legacy giving. With over a decade of expertise in managing charity legacy fundraising and administration, Chris has […]
wealthy estate charity bequests exceeding £1 million is increasing
A recent report has found that more millionaires are making philanthropic financial contributions in excess of £1 million to charities. Figures, obtained from HM Revenue and Customs by private law firm Wilsons, found that the number of charitable bequests in excess of £1 million has increased by 27% in the last five years. In the […]
Mitigating Risk – Insurance solutions for trust & probate professionals
Title: Mitigating Risk – Insurance solutions for trust & probate professionals Presenter: Jeff De Rhune, Zurich Date & Time: Wednesday 19th September at 12.00pm Link: https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1210007&tp_key=e637eccf84 We are delighted to welcome this month’s speaker Jeff De Rhune from Zurich to the next instalment of Certainty Expert Webinars. Zurich have been writing Legal Indemnities for over […]
The search is simple, the unforeseen complications might not be
Afonwy Howell-Pryce, Solicitor, Head of Private Client at Robertsons Solicitors: “Having used Certainty numerous times to find a Will of the deceased, Robertsons thought it would be advantageous to also register our Wills. Not only does it assist bereaved people trying to locate a Will but also adds security to our clients to know that […]
Awards Shortlist for ‘Best use of Marketing and Social Media’
The British Wills and Probate Awards are delighted to officially announce the shortlist for the ‘Best Use of Marketing and Social Media’ category for the upcoming awards on 18th October 2018. The Judges of the awards ceremony faced a difficult task of deciding the shortlist for this category as they received fantastic entrants. But after […]
Coop Consolidate their status as UK’s largest Wills and Probate Company
Based on continued growth and impressive sales, the Coop can now claim to be the largest company providing Wills and probate services in the UK. The profits for Co-opertative Legal Services (CLS) £800,000 profit for the opening 6 months is four times more when compared with 2017 figures. The groups revenue is also up 31% […]
More than half of British adults are following in Aretha’s footsteps and have no Will, survey reveals
More than half of British adults are following in the footsteps of the late music legends Aretha Franklin and Prince in having made no Will, a new survey has revealed. The study, carried out by Will Aid, the charity will-writing campaign that takes place every November, found that 53% of adults have not prepared this […]
Law Firm fined and admonished for overcharging deputyship fees
Frettons, a law firm based in Dorset, has been fined for overcharging a man subject to a deputyship order. The Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) helped to settle the fine and ordered costs of £1,350 to be paid. The very concept of becoming entrusted with the protection of a person’s estate when they lack capacity should […]
Six Month Review of the Power of Attorney Refund Scheme
In February, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) announced that they had opened a refund scheme for people that had been overcharged for their power of attorney fees. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced that anyone overcharged for lasting power of attorney fees between 1st April 2013 and 31st March 2017 are entitled to […]
Martin Holdsworth: Top Tips on how to effectively deal with Inheritance Disputes
Featuring guest speaker Martin Holdsworth, Solicitor, who specialises in Inheritance Dispute Resolution Martin Holdsworth, owner of IDR Law, talks about about the type/s of cases that he deals with and how Will instruction takers can minimise risk. Martin Holdsworth on Inheritance Disputes: I was first involved in a contentious probate case in 1993 whilst a […]
WillSuite announces industry-shaking trust drafting platform TrustSuite
Lifetime trust drafting platform, TrustSuite, has been launched after a length of time working with multiple experts in the industry with decades of experience to ensure fantastic quality at astonishing prices. Seb Shakh, Director, stated “With the consumer paying between £2,000 to £5,000 for the average lifetime trust – it’s clear how important they are […]
The SWW partners with The Co-op
The SWW are pleased to announce that they have formed a strategic partnership with Co-op in relation to Funeral Plans. The Co-op is a market leader in the funeral planning market with over 31% market share and now SWW members are able to introduce their plans to clients. There are a number of features that […]
Are you ready for the new SRA Accounts Rules 2018?
The long awaited and in part controversial Draft SRA Accounts Rules will not come into force before Autumn 2018 – but are you and your firm ready? June 2017 saw the publication of the Rules, however, prior to printing, the SRA apparently backtracked on some of the more contentious elements during a period of feedback. […]
IPW Advising the Elderly
A headline figure, from a recent study published in the Lancet Public Health journal, predicts that people aged 85 and over, requiring 24-hour care, will double by 2035. Additionally, the journal article speculates that a million people aged over 65 will also need similar 24-hour care by 2035. The fastest growing demographic in the UK […]
Today’s Wills and Probate 5th Roundtable Round Up
The fifth roundtable event was a huge success and we would like to thank everyone that was able to attend. The event was held at the vibrant Engine Shed meeting rooms, the diverse amalgamation of Wills and probate professionals turned up ready to tackle a range of divisive issues surrounding mental capacity. The day started […]
