5 things probate practitioners should be demanding from their technology tools today
Technology has rapidly developed in the past decade; smartphones, on-demand streaming services, smartwatches with the ability to measure heart rate and blood oxygen levels, electric cars, AI technology, the list continues. Many of these developments have become so quickly engrained in our daily lives that they now go relatively unnoticed, and their impact all but […]
Tower Street Finance appoints Dan Baines as Chief Commercial Officer
Harrogate-based financial solutions provider, Tower Street Finance, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan Baines as its new Chief Commercial Officer. Dan’s role will see him spearheading the business’s growth in the fast-growing probate lending sector, in which the company has led the way since its launch in 2019. Dan is widely […]
Upcoming events with CTT Group
Webinars: Date : Friday 24th March & Monday 27th March Booking link: Friday 24th March https://countrywidegroup-co-uk.zoom.us/webinar/register/7316776008204/WN_zKvtn9-YQW2zMyOqtOQ5mw Monday 27th March https://countrywidegroup-co-uk.zoom.us/webinar/register/2016681634399/WN_hgj2lZjlR9ifeHIayeSwug Description: Deed of Variation: The Last Action Hero Home passed into a Discretionary Trust: How to Save the RNRB and ensure your descendants can qualify – Kindergarten Cop Life Interest Trust on first death and […]
LSB parks review of reserved legal activities
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has announced it will not be conducting a review of the list of reserved legal activities in the imminent future. Certain legal activities are restricted – or reserved – by section 12 of the Legal Services Act 2007. This includes certain probate activities, the preparation of certain reserved instruments, the […]
2 in 3 people would take family or friends to court if excluded from will – study
Nearly two in three people in the UK would be prepared to take their family or friends to court if they were wrongfully excluded from a loved one’s will, a new study has found. JMW solicitors surveyed 1,000 UK adults on their knowledge and opinions surrounding contentious probate and will disputes. The results identified that […]
Future of eSignatures unclear as Industry Working Group fails to agree way forward
The Industry Working Group’s final report on the electronic execution of documents has failed to agree on a way forward for eSignatures following “mixed views both internally and externally” regarding the certification and accreditation of providers. The Group set out to “promote and facilitate the electronic execution of documents by matching appropriate solutions to the […]
Survey reveals common misunderstandings of LPAs
A survey carried out by “Which?” has revealed the “confusion” of consumers surrounding Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) and how the documents operate. The survey of consumers revealed the common misunderstandings of LPAs, one example being that 16% of those surveyed by Which? believed that once the registration has taken place, the Donor will lose […]
Inheritance tax receipts up nearly £1 billion on last year – HMRC
New data from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has revealed inheritance tax (IHT) receipts are £0.9 billion higher than in the same period a year earlier. In total, the take from IHT for the financial year until now sits at £6.4 billion, up from £5.5 billion this time last year. Laura Tommis, Business and Relationship […]
AML strain likely to increase, SRA boss tells conference
According to The Law Society Gazette, the chief executive of the Solicitors Regulation (SRA) stated that the demands placed on the law firms to stop money laundering will not ease up. To avoid money laundering, businesses are already required to conduct risk assessments, with a significant number of firms having received fines in the previous […]
Today’s Wills and Probate Podcast: Myth-busting Legacy Management
This episode of The Today’s Wills and Probate podcast sets out to myth-bust the relationship between probate practitioners and legacy managers; who up until more recent years might have been described as “frenemies!” A profession who deliver £3bn in charity revenues and enable the final wishes of somebody to be fulfilled is a rewarding career […]
Kaur v Singh: The Inheritance Act and patriarchal inheritance practices
In Kaur v Singh a widow successfully challenged her late husband’s attempt to leave his estate to the male family line, which would have left her with nothing. This case shows how, in certain circumstances, the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 can be a powerful tool to challenge patriarchal inheritance practices and […]
The Ombudsman’s Corner: March 2023
I recently attended a conference at which I had an interesting conversation with a legal insurance broker, who told me that cyber insurance remains one of the most popular insurance policies with legal providers – a policy which covers lawyers from losses arising from loss of data and damages to systems following cybercrime attacks. This […]
