Estatesearch continue their Digital Assets Series with two brand new webinars
Digital Assets and what happens to them after you die is still very much a hot topic and one that is not straightforward. Last year, Estatesearch launched their latest technical webinar series, “What Happens to Digital Assets When You Die”, which initially featured two 30-minute sessions designed to help practitioners understand some of the practical […]
You are due an unexpected inheritance – too good to be true?
“It’s too good to be true” – the most common objection any Probate Researcher faces when contacting those believed to be an entitled beneficiary following the death of a relative who didn’t leave a valid will. And it’s totally understandable, right? The call has been received out of the blue concerning a relative they maybe […]
Update Your Will Week 2023 highlights lack of parental planning
Seven out of ten parents across the UK have no legal guardian in place to care for their children in the event of their deaths, according to research commissioned by Solicitors for the Elderly (SfE). The research has been done ahead of “Update Your Will Week 2023,” which begins today and finishes on 29th January […]
Treasury confirms it was warned about Safe Hands ahead of collapse
The Treasury has conceded that it was warned of concerns surrounding Safe Hands Plans five years prior to the catastrophic collapse. The warning came in a July 2017 meeting with Fairer Finance, a campaigner for regulation, and Dignity, a rival firm that has only recently announced a £281 million takeover following financial issues of its […]
Fines totalling £25,000 highlight risk of non-compliance
Four SRA regulated law firms have fallen foul of Anti-Money Laundering and Transparency regulations and received fines totalling over £25,000. Some of the first published fines are now coming light following the extension of SRA fining powers in July 2022, which empowered the SRA to fine firms for a broad range of offences without having […]
All-new estate planning conference set to take place at historic racetrack in May
B.E.S.T. Inspiration & Innovation Conference 2023 An exciting new conference has been launched for the estate planning sector by The B.E.S.T. Foundation for 16th May at the world class venue of Silverstone Race Track. As promised at their launch in Oxford last year, the aim is to focus not just on legal matters but on business […]
Incapacity and its effect on wealth owners and wealth advisors
The topic of mental health and mental incapacity is often featured in the news, especially following Covid. If left unchecked, it can have an enormous impact on both clients as well as the private wealth professionals that serve them. Incapacity of a principal poses risks for those managing or administering their wealth. What are the […]
HMRC “targeting bereaved families” with IHT raids: What executors need to know
In these currently harsh economic times, it is clear that everyone is having to look at their own housekeeping and ensure their finances are suitably under control. Where necessary, things need to be re-arranged so that more disposable income is available. HMRC is no exception to this trend and they are increasingly targeting the estates […]
The Ombudsman’s Corner: January 2023
Happy New Year everyone and welcome to the first “Ombudsman’s Corner” of 2023. In the last column, I set out details of the changes we are making to our Scheme Rules on 1st April 2023 with regards to our time limits. This time, I am going to explain how we are changing our rules in […]
