Not being able to get work experience whilst in school, attending the wrong university, the inability to afford the necessary qualifications and fierce competition are only some of the barriers to entry into the legal

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has announced refunds in excess of £42 million (around £3,107 per claim) in overpaid tax on flexible pension withdrawals in Q4 2021. Since pension freedoms became effective in 2015, it

The longest-running study into funeral prices – SunLife’s Cost of Dying Report – has found that the price of a funeral has fallen for the first time in 18 years. The research found that the

The COVID pandemic has almost tripled the number of will writers offering remote services in England and Wales, according to the Trends in Will Writing survey conducted by Capacity Vault Ltd. Run in December 2020,

Last month The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) announced that following a consultation on probate fees, all users of the probate service will be required to pay an increased, single, flat-rate fee from 26th January. The

Government is consulting on new measures to boost British businesses’ cyber security after recent high profile attacks. New laws are needed to drive up security standards in outsourced IT services used by almost all UK

Today’s Wills and Probate recently spoke to Adrian Jaggard, CEO of Taylor Rose MW, one of the top four firms in the UK currently operating the consultancy model, about how consultancy works and how much

A solicitor that arranged for the sale of an elderly client’s property at £250,000 below market value has been struck off and ordered to pay £45,000 costs by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT). The solicitor,

The start of the year is a time where many Brits start reviewing and planning their finances for the year, especially those looking to retire within the next few years. Private and Commercial Bank Arbuthnot

Vulnerable people across England and Wales will continue to be able to have their wills witnessed via video-link up until 2024, under legislation laid today which extends measures implemented during the pandemic. The Ministry of

6th January 2022 was a big day in the world of genealogy. It marked the release of the 1921 census of England and Wales, plus the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, a long-anticipated

22% of people planning ahead for their retirement expect to use the value of their home, according to a survey of 4,000 UK adults conducted by Legal & General Home Finance (LGHF). The findings indicate

More than 153 million people could have dementia globally by 2050, up from 57 million in 2019, research shows. In 2019, an estimated one in 74 people had dementia in the UK but by 2050,

A 150-year-old Sussex based firm, Mayo Wynne Baxter (MWB), is the first to join legal and professional services group Ampa under a “house of brands” merger strategy devised to move away from the traditional consolidation

Following a successful 2021, Tower Street Finance, the inheritance lending specialist, has successfully closed its latest funding round. The latest round raised £18.2m of debt and equity, to fund growth through 2022. The total raised

Does your firm have a conveyancing department? The deadline for registration to enter The British Conveyancing Awards, sponsored by Dye & Durham, is upon us. Registration for this years awards will close at midnight on

A private members’ bill that seeks to enact changes to pensions auto-enrolment (AE) legislation is scheduled for a second reading on 25th February. The bill, introduced by Richard Holden MP last week, aims to remove

London law firm Mishcon de Reya will pay £232,500 over several breaches relating to money laundering rules, it has been announced. The penalty of £232,500 was agreed between the firm and the SRA who said

Trial proceedings against the director of Lincolnshire-based firm, Indeed Law Limited, for offences relating to fraud have begun at Leeds Crown Court. A spokesperson for Leeds Crown Court confirmed today that the trial against Indeed

The Legal Services Board has approved the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)’s application to update its Probate Regulations to mandate the publication of price and service information. The regulations are effective

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has amended the Inheritance Tax (Delivery of Accounts) (Excepted Estates) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 to exempt many estates from the need to submit detailed estate returns via the IHT400 form which

Probate fees will increase to a single, flat rate of £273 for all applicants, regardless of the size of the estate, from 26th January 2022. An Order published earlier this month amends the Non-Contentious Probate

Assisted Dying is now legal in Austria. Parliament approved the new law in December, following a constitutional court ruling on the issue. Austria is the latest nation to legalise assisted dying, where from Saturday any

Probate delays continue to wreak financial havoc on grieving families as further stories surface in the press. Speaking to the Guardian, a distressed and frustrated reader recently described how probate delays had incurred huge financial

Legado has announced the appointment of Colin McKay as its inaugural Chief Commercial Officer as the company looks to build on its success and growth in 2020. Colin McKay has over twenty-five years of experience

A man has been ordered to sell his car in order to repay his teenage son, after he stole his £38,000 inheritance. Daniel Richard Caulfield, aged 38 of Milton in Pembrokeshire, was given three months

The government is providing an additional £60 million to local authorities to support the adult social care response to COVID-19 in January. The government will provide an extra £60 million to local authorities to support

Happy New Year from the team at Today’s Wills and Probate! We hope you all enjoyed the festivities and a well-earned break over the Christmas period. We’d like to take this opportunity, as the New