No straightforward process for accessing digital assets after death says STEP
A project completed by STEP and Queen Mary University of London has identified the need for urgent reform to give families better access to the digital assets of deceased loved ones. Items such as social media accounts, photos and emails have become a common part of estate planning and administration in recent years. A new […]
Metadata proves Will forgery in recent High Court case
A recent case has highlighted the importance of examining metadata in potential incidents of Will forgery. The case of Rainey v Weller & Ors [2021] EWHC 2206 (Ch) involved the family of the deceased Brenda Weller and a dispute surrounding her Will. Weller’s niece and three of her grandchildren had disagreed over the validity and […]
Business and Agricultural Relief: What you need to know
Due to the rise in estates that include a business or land/pasture used to rear animals, it is more important than ever to understand the reliefs available that may help reduce an Inheritance Tax bill. In their latest blog, Kings Court Trust explain what you need to know about Business and Agricultural Relief by exploring: […]
Uncovering assets faster and more reliably
A key part of administering an estate is gathering the assets and liabilities of the deceased. This has become increasingly problematic in recent years with the increase in the way in which we connect and communicate. Moving to a more ‘paperless’ and immediate lifestyle, these changes make things far easier to access and so people’s […]
IHT – to be or not to be
Following Boris Johnson’s announcement about a £12bn a year tax hike to cover Health and Social Care, experts’ attention has moved onto wealth taxes and they have been giving their opinions on what ‘could’ and ‘should’ happen. This has put Inheritance Tax firmly in the spotlight with conflicting views on what the Chancellor’s next steps […]
Podcast explores the legal sector’s adoption of technology
In the latest Topical Talks with Title Research podcast, Tom Stansfield, Marketeer and Head of Growth at WillSuite, joins Anthony Allsopp, Head of Business at Title Research, to discuss the legal sector’s adoption of technology, online Will writing and digital assets in Wills. More specifically, the podcast explores: How the legal industry utilises technology and […]
Industry figures raise fraud flag with LPA consultation
Industry figures have raised concerns about proposals to reform Lasting Powers of Attorney, suggesting that the digitisation of the process opens to door to fraud and alienates the most vulnerable. The consultation proposes to review how to increase safeguards, especially for the donor improve the process of making and registering an LPA for donors, attorneys […]
Impersonation fraud losses rocket
The scale of criminal activity which leads to financial loss has been laid bare by UK Finance’s half year fraud update. In total £753.9 million was stolen through fraud, an increase of 30 per cent compared to the same period last year. As banks improve their security measures, for the first time Authorised Push Payment (APP) […]
National Paralegal Awards 2021 Goes Hybrid
The National Paralegal Awards, hosted by the PPR is taking place on Thursday 23rd September 2021. This event is a virtual award show and is free to attend by registering here This year there are 20 hotly contested categories with trophies up for grabs. The winners and sponsors will then join together for a winner’s […]
Free virtual seminar: Intestate estates and missing beneficiaries
Title Research’s Technical Manager, Simon Barber, and Business Development Manager, James Cameron, are back with their upcoming virtual seminar on Wednesday 29th September at 12pm. The duo will discuss managing risk when faced with intestate estates and missing beneficiaries in estate administration, more specifically, covering: How and where missing beneficiaries are found Why intestate estates […]
130 cars lined up for Classic Car Auctions forthcoming sale
The catalogue for Classic Car Auctions (CCA) forthcoming sale has a fantastic line up; with 130 cars, including a number of restored classics as well as those from long-term ownership. The auction, The Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show Sale 2021, is taking place at Stoneleigh Park this Saturday, on 25th September. One of […]
Prince Philip’s Will to be sealed for 90 years to protect “dignity” of the Queen
The will of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh is to be sealed for 90 years following an order of the president of the family division. Sir Andrew McFarlane, president of the family division revealed that he is the custodian of a safe which holds the wills of 30 deceased senior royals. The decision […]
Work to be done on supervision of AML regime
The Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS) has released its latest report on progress made in tackling money laundering by regulators over the past year. While this year’s report acknowledges that professional body supervisors (PBSs) within the accountancy and legal sectors have improved, it highlights differing levels of achievement and “significant weaknesses in […]
Newest entrant to inheritance funding market launches
The latest entrant to the inheritance funding market has been announced with significant backing from Swift Group. Legacy Release has been launched to target the High Net Worth market and bridge the gap between the discharging of estate liabilities and the eventual realisation of money, enabling individuals to gain early access to inheritance which can […]
LPA Consultation: Have you had your say?
Practitioners are being reminded to submit their thoughts on the Ministry of Justice’s consultation on the future of LPAs in a blog on the OPG website. More than 140 responses have already been received, with many coming from members of the public. The consultation was launched in July with the ambition of “(making) the service […]
Funeral firms must show full pricelist up front
The legal requirement for funeral directors and crematorium present clear and comparable pricing to customers is now in effect. Following action by the Competitions and Markets Authority, funeral directors and crematoria were given 3 months to comply with legislation which includes the requirement to display a Standardised Price List in their window at their premises […]
Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show Sale
There is now just over a week to go until The Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show Sale on Saturday 25th September at Stoneleigh Park, Hall 1. Classic Car Auctions are delighted to be offering this 1979 Ford Escort RS2000 Mk2 after the success Richard had at their sister company’s most recent sale, The […]
Time for change
Case management systems, digital dictation/time recording, sophisticated management reporting, online training, case tracking, increased risk management, budget analysis, automation, forecasting systems, outsourced overhead functions – just to mention a few concepts we have all embraced over the years to build our businesses and manage our risk. No longer new fads but integrated systems and procedures […]
Technical Corner: STEP Standard Provisions 3rd edition – coming soon!
Our ‘Technical Corner’ brings you information that will help you to continue to grow and develop in your career. This month’s technical corner article comes from Emily Deane TEP, STEP Technical Counsel. If you have any questions for our panel of experts, please submit them using the contact form below. We will publish the questions […]
Automated discovery report makes estate discovery quicker
Legal technology firm Exizent has announced the launch of automated estate discovery process for solicitors through its partnership with Experian, one of the world’s leading global information services company. The new functionality addresses a major challenge for legal services practitioners by making the process of identifying key banking assets and financial liabilities associated with an […]
