Inheritance Planning Firm, Universal Wealth Management, have left its clients feeling extremely anxious, annoyed and heartbroken following the year long collapse of the firm. Having entered into compulsory liquidation in May 2018, many clients have

A dishonest daughter turned ‘property hijacker’ has been jailed for three years following the attempted sale of her father’s home whilst he was in a care home and his wife was abroad caring for a

Jordan Adams, a 23-year-old entrepreneur, has been dealt the devastating blow that he is the youngest person to be diagnosed with dementia. Jordan will develop early onset frontotemporal dementia and Parkinson’s Disease which could reduce

It is officially Today’s Wills and Probate’s fourth birthday! Having launched the publication on 12th October 2014 with aspirations of providing up to date news in the Wills and probate sector, we are delighted that

Following The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) announcement that they will not enforce price transparency rules onto its firms that provide probate services, The Legal Services Consumer Panel have released a

Funeral and probate juggernaut, The Co-op, have initiated a clear price war with its competitors in the sector. In a further attempt to dominate, the Co-op are looking at the ways they can cut costs

The SWW conference wound up the final day following a vibrant and energetic two day event. The main foyer bustled with businesses, exhibitors and contributors in the early hours of Monday morning; highlighting the innovative

The wife of a millionaire bank owner, jailed for fraud, has been subject to the first Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) in the UK. UWOs were introduced to UK law in 2017 following increasing anxieties that

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s regulators pioneer fund have released £10 million to fifteen regulators tasked with realising the vision of solidifying the UK as a world leader in regulatory innovation within

Following a five year legal battle, the estate of famous and controversial rapper, Tupac Shakur, have won the rights to his formally unreleased music. Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, was the estate’s administrator when the legal

Solicitors have been consistently warned about how they should approach situations where they handle client funds in recent months. The SRA issued a Warning Notice at the start of August of the expectations of a

Theresa May has announced that heterosexual couples in England and Wales can now legally enter into a civil partnership rather than marriage. For many, the institution of marriage represents gender inequality. For years the idea

Deprivation of Liberties Safeguards (DoLS) were set up as a vital barrier in the prevention of vulnerable people, lacking capacity, losing their human rights. A recent NHS report into DoLS applications has highlighted some rather

The old saying to ‘never mix family and money’ is usually a wise one; this is especially true when it comes to business. It is very rare for business partners to agree wholeheartedly at all

Helping a loved one lacking mental capacity can be extremely difficult both emotionally and legally. In order to protect the individual, any person making decisions on their behalf needs the appropriate legal documentation before their

The role of the legal service provider in assessing capacity has been a long standing debate in the profession, especially concerning Wills and probate issues that generally provide services to more vulnerable individuals. During the

In a messy case involving a deceased man, who died intestate, a son has accused his estranged family of withdrawing the information that his father had died. Shockingly, John Steele only found out that his

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal have cited Wingate and Ivey to clear a solicitor accused of lacking integrity and acting dishonestly after he accepted bequests in clients’ wills. Matthew Beach, former manager of Wills Chandler Beach

With the imminent arrival of price transparency and the need to highlight an expert staff and superior services, the importance of retaining skilled talent has never been more vital. Recent surveys suggest that there is

The recent Autumn 2018 Equity Release Market Report has found that there has been a staggering 81% increase in equity release from H1 in 2016 to H1 in 2018. Among reasons including improved social care

The executors of the late Grace Joyce Graham have won a case against HMRC in claiming that the holiday property she owned was actually a business and should be entitled to business property relief (BPR)

The rising cost of care fees, inheritance tax and an uncertain financial climate caused by Brexit confusion is creating a lot of anxiety for an ageing generation with property. The thought of losing the asset

In a time when regulatory reforms are creating an increasingly competitive and hostile environment, it is shocking that some law firms are ignoring potential enquiries. The recent research, by Insight6, a customer experience expert, sought

Mac Miller, American Rapper who died of a suspected drug overdose on September 7th, has left his fortune to his family according to his Will. The Will named parents Karen Meyer and Mark McCormack along

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 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

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

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

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

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

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,

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