Today’s Wills and Probate has partnered with Helen Forster of HTF Legal to provide live and on-demand legal training for private client practitioners and willwriters. Today’s Training was launched in 2020 with the intention of providing a “value add” service for readers of Today’s Wills and Probate and Today’s Conveyancer. Covering a range of topics […]Read More
With entries for The British Wills and Probate Awards now open Today’s Media Managing Director David Opie provides some thoughts on the value of entering awards ceremonies. When planning out your marketing strategy do you consider including awards ceremonies? For some marketeers awards can be a distraction, an inconvenience. Other see them as a fantastic […]Read More
The UK has started its free trade agreement (FTA) talks with Mexico, with solicitors’ leaders hoping negotiators will lock in current legal services market access and increase trade in other sectors. The International Trade Secretary launched negotiations on a new UK-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (FTA) alongside her Mexican counterpart, Tatiana Clouthier, in London last week. […]Read More
New analysis reveals 450,000 homeowners in England and Wales are at risk of becoming mortgage prisoners because their leases have run down to less than 75 years, the crucial threshold for mortgage finance, including lifetime mortgages. The data compiled by Lifetime Mortgage Gateway Logistics (LMGL) shows there are currently an estimated 400,000 leaseholders in England […]Read More
Unexplained wealth orders (UWOs) were introduced four years ago to help tackle the problem of money laundering by high-net worth individuals, often with foreign and political connections. The concept of recovery of criminal proceeds has persisted in the UK for some time. Tools such as a civil recovery order have been available and commonly used […]Read More
Hard-pressed charities could be missing out on over £940 million a year as generous donors fail to claim tax relief on the money they give, new research from Handelsbanken Wealth Management & Asset Management shows. Charity Commission data shows 60% of organisations have suffered a drop in income during the pandemic. The nationwide study found […]Read More
Requests for personal information can now be made through a new digital service. A new digital service allowing individuals to request personal information is now available which aims to improve the user experience for subject access requests (SARs). The process allows individuals to request information held by the Legal Aid Agency and other parts of […]Read More
Latest research from abrdn reveals that two-thirds of those planning to retire this year will work part-time to keep up with the rising cost of living. The research, which surveyed 2,000 Brits showed that many would-be retirees are considering part-time work with two-thirds (66%) planning to remain in some form of employment in 2022 compared […]Read More
Today’s Wills and Probate sat down with Martin P Holdsworth, Founder and Director of specialist contentious wills and probate firm IDR Law, to discuss the recent increase in contentious probate cases, IDR Law’s newest innovation – the IDR Network (IDRN) and Martin’s take on the future of the contentious probate industry. Today’s Wills and Probate: […]Read More
Removing an executor and obtaining costs – Fellner v Cleall [2021] EWHC 3599 (Ch) The dispute A recent case heard in the High Court demonstrates the risks which personal representatives face in proceeding to obtain a grant when there is an ongoing will dispute and in the face of opposition from the beneficiaries. I recently […]Read More
According to the latest IRN Research report, UK Wills, Probate & Trusts Market 2022: Market Trends, the wills, trusts and probate market passed the £2.0 bn mark for the first time in 2021, and although fragmented, is a market that is growing. Research also finds that the sector is still populated by thousands of mainly […]Read More
Public appetite for legacy giving has hit a new height with almost one in five UK charity donors choosing to leave a gift in their Will (19%), up from 14% in 2013. A further 10% intend to make a gift from their Will or are preparing to do so. Legal advisers play a critical role […]Read More
Law firm JMW Solicitors has seen a circa 72% rise in Inheritance Act claims in 2021 as relatives quarrel over much smaller sums of money. Partner Alison Parry has warned of the need to take a robust approach to Will-making to avoid loved ones falling victim to a legal challenge. A recent case handled by […]Read More
From 29 July 2022, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will regulate funeral plan providers, following a change in the law. Despite the announcement by the FCA however, over 40% of previous providers are yet to submit their applications to the scheme, prompting speculation amongst industry experts that most providers won’t be seeking to become regulated. […]Read More
In this podcast David Opie is joined by Charlotte Ponder, Legal Director at CTT Group (formerly Countrywide Tax and Trust Corporation) and Chris Jones, Managing Director and ICON-UK to discuss the progress being made on the introduction of electronic signatures in legal services. Both Charlotte and Chris are members of the Industry Working Group on […]Read More
Intestacy is rarely ever straightforward and can often lead to complications including, family disputes, unnecessarily high Inheritance Tax bills or the search for missing beneficiaries, just to name a few. On top of this, being unable to locate a next of kin makes the estate that much more difficult to administer. The latest blog from […]Read More
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the legal sector has lagged behind many other sectors in terms of technology adoption across the years. However, in recent times there has been a notable shift in both mindset and practice, with various SaaS-based products coming into play and covering everything from basic practice management through to AI-driven […]Read More
A survey of over 2000 adults aged 16+ had revealed that nearly 19% of people don’t understand British law and do not feel empowered to seek justice. Less than half (41%) of respondents said that if they needed help, support or wanted to make a complaint, they’d be comfortable approaching a law firm. 59% said […]Read More
This International Stress Awareness Week, Exizent is shining a light on the added stress experienced by the bereaved, professionals, institutions and executors tasked with sorting out the administration involved when someone passes away. The inefficient processes surrounding probate and estate administration are adding unnecessary stress to the lives of the bereaved, according to research from […]Read More
Unlike in Scotland, marriage in England revokes a previous Will, meaning that vulnerable older people can become victims to what is called ‘predatory’ marriage, where they are targeted by calculating individuals who want to deprive those people’s families of the rightful inheritance. In a recent feature in the Guardian, Daphne Franks detailed what had happened […]Read More
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