Free wills month case study: Grandad leaves family instruction on how to fix leaky tap in his will
CASE STUDY Alisa, 30, Marketing Professional My Grandad’s ‘For When I’m Gone’ file changed my life. After her grandfather passed away on Christmas Eve, we discovered a folder he had created titled “For When I’m Gone.” The folder included everything from practical matters like his will and life insurance policy, to sentimental items like messages […]
Six ways the Budget could raise inheritance tax or CGT at death
Possible moves to increase taxes on the transfer of wealth at death continue to feature in speculation as to where ‘painful’ Budget measures will land. As pre-Budget leaks start to trickle out, it has been reported that the Chancellor is backing away from reform of tax reliefs on pension contributions because of the probable impact […]
QualitySolicitors – The next chapter
As one of the disruptors in the wake of the Legal Services Act 2007 QualitySolicitors (QS) was launched in 2009 with the ambition to help the high street fight back against the anticipated onslaught of major brands entering the legal market – so-called ‘Tesco Law.’ QS grew rapidly, with firms up and down the country […]
Huge increase in families going to war over a will
UK leading Will and Trust Disputes lawyer says enquiries over past three years have increased by 350% A sense of entitlement, the rise in property values, increasingly complex family structures and/or the belief undue influence has been exercised, are the reasons behind the astonishing rise in families going to war over a will, says Alison […]
Contesting a will with willclaim solicitors no win no fee specialists – reconstituting a will under rule 54, non-contentious probate rules 1987
Will claim Solicitors, specialist no win no fee will dispute and will contest Solicitors, discuss reconstruction of a will under r54 NCPR, 1987 in a case where a previous will exists but a party refuses to disclose it during proceedings challenging the validity of a later will. Overview – Oliver v Oliver [2024] EWHC 2289 […]
Free and low cost will schemes – good or bad?
Free and low cost will schemes are an established part of the wills and probate sector, providing charities with valuable legacy income streams, and practitioners with their largest source of lead generation. The latest Today’s Wills and Probate Podcast welcomes Richard Millar of Capacity Marketing on to discuss the value of free and low cost […]
New bill to recognise digital assets as “property” will help victims of cryptocurrency scams
Roman Kubiak TEP, Partner and Head of Private Wealth Disputes, discusses the Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill recently introduced by the Government. Introduction On 11 September 2024, a new bill was introduced to the House of Lords; the Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill (‘the Bill’). The primary purpose of the Bill is to provide clarity […]
Don’t forget about attendance allowance
Dean Morgan is the Managing Director of a franchise of Grey Matters Consultancy; a business founded with the aim of meeting the needs of those in retirement at the point they need additional assistance, and for offering guidance to those who have the responsibility for their care. Dean is himself a franchisee based in Cardiff […]
Will Capital Gains Tax increase in the Budget?
Rob Morgan, Chief Investment Analyst at Charles Stanley Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is paid on the profits of the sale of assets – outside of tax efficient vehicles such as ISAs and Pensions – and there is speculation it could be a target in the Budget on 30th October. CGT is not exactly a big […]
Probate Research: Changing lives after death
Famous faces, landed gentry, minor royals, persons of no fixed abode, a former neighbour, and an old school friend – just some of the people I have distributed inheritances to in my 21-year career in probate research. Probate research is a unique area of law that touches all kinds of people. Inheritance law can be […]
Contesting a will with willclaim solicitors no win no fee specialists – Jassal v Shah and Shah [2024] EWHC 2214 (Ch) and paying costs of financial provision claims
Will claim Solicitors, specialist no win no fee will dispute and will contest Solicitors, discuss the rules on litigation costs in financial provision claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, asking whether it’s ever possible for a claimant to receive their costs as part of an overall award. Overview – Jassal […]
The launch of the National Association of Independent Administrators
Helen Stewart, Partner and Head of Probate at Thomson, Snell & Passmore joins the latest Today’s Wills and Probate Podcast to discuss the launch of a new association to support collaboration and best practice amongst independent administrators (IAs) and estates in conflict. The National Association of Independent Administrators (NAIA) brings together contentious and non-contentious practitioners […]
Wills in North America vs England & Wales
Tim Hewson joins the Today’s Wills and Probate podcast to discuss LegalWills – his Canadian-based technology company providing will writing and estate planning services in Canada and North America. The business started in a bar in Ottawa where Tim and his colleagues were discussing whether any of them, all successful tech high-flyers, had a will […]
Why it’s not surprising there’s a rise in disputes against executors of Wills
High Court claims against executors in England and Wales have grown by more than 20 per cent over the past 12 months, according to research recently published by the Times. While the total number of disputes remains quite low, legal practitioners believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg since most of them […]
What impact can effective death notifications have on brand advocacy?
A ‘brand’ is defined officially (in Websters Dictionary) in very simple terms as a class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm or manufacturer. It is also a ‘characteristic’ or ‘distinctive kind’. In marketing terms, a brand does indeed convey the characteristics of a product or service, something in which […]
World Vision and Octopus Legacy offering free Wills to all
Smart money management is something that everyone, regardless of age, can get peace of mind from. Whether it’s handling personal finances or working out the legacy a person will leave behind, there can be a lot to consider, especially with Remember A Charity Week running from 9 to 15 September, encouraging everyone to think about […]
Removing A Trustee From a Trust
There are various circumstances in which the need to remove a trustee from a trust may arise, including for practical reasons (such as replacement following death or retirement). In other cases, trustee removal and appointment is an important mechanism for upholding the proper administration of the trust. Applications to the court to remove a trustee […]
Law Society comments on first AI treaty
Human rights, democracy and the rule of law will be further protected from potential threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI) under a new international agreement to be signed by Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood on Thursday. The new framework has been agreed by the Council of Europe commits parties to collective action to manage AI products […]
Contesting a will with willclaim solicitors no win no fee specialists – do will no contest clauses work?
Will claim Solicitors, specialist no win no fee will dispute and will contest Solicitors, discuss whether Will no contest clauses work What is a Will no contest clause? A Will no contest clause is a clause in a Will which seeks to stop a beneficiary from potentially challenging the bequest they are entitled to receive […]
Making Change Part of the Furniture: Lessons from Paul O’Neill and Alcoa
Change is often perceived as a disruptive force, an unwelcome visitor that turns our routines and structures upside down. However, there are powerful examples from history that demonstrate how change, when integrated thoughtfully and systematically, can become as integral to an organization as the furniture within it. One of the most compelling cases is the […]
