Experts react to government U-turn on Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs threshold
Lawyers and finance experts have welcomed the government’s announcement that the Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs threshold will increase to £2.5 million from April, allowing spouses or civil partners to pass on up to £5 million in qualifying agricultural or business assets between them. The government set out its plans in a joint statement from […]
Digitisation, reform and modernisation; a year of Today’s Wills and Probate Podcasts
The Today’s Wills and Probate Podcast was launched in 2022 with the aim of introducing listeners to the organisations and individuals who contribute to the success of the wills and probate sector. Over the previous four series, and 75 episodes the podcast has covered topics from the great wealth transfer, digitisation and modernisation, free and […]
Unlocking the potential of private equity
With private equity funding fuelling the UK legal services market the Today’s Wills and Probate podcast welcomes one of the latest additions to the cohort, Vault Private Client, to the podcast. Vault is the newest practice within the Beyond Law Group; a private equity backed legal services firm which describes itself as ‘a disruptive, non-traditional […]
The future of wealth transfer: implications of assisted dying legislation
The so-called ‘great wealth transfer’ is well underway, with experts predicting that £5.5 trillion in assets is set to be passed down by the so-called ‘baby boomers’ over the next decade. There has been much commentary about its implications, including the need for good estate planning and the impact on society more widely. The intersection […]
‘Act now to modernise Wills’, Law Society tells government
The government must act now to modernise wills, or risk leaving many people’s final wishes unprotected, the Law Society of England and Wales has said. In May 2025, the Law Commission published its report Modernising Wills Law, setting out key recommendations to update legislation that has remained largely the same since the Wills Act 1837. The comprehensive […]
Why FCA chief Nikhil Rathi is right to highlight the importance of later life lending
Last week, the FCA chief executive Nikhil Rathi shared his vision for the mortgage market of the future, in a speech given at L&G Mortgage Club’s 30th anniversary conference. The speech highlights the importance of later life lending as part of building the mortgage market of tomorrow, but the customer need is already evident and […]
Breaking down barriers; women in private client law
To what extent do women feel as though there is a glass ceiling in law and how can we overcome that? That is the question posed in the latest episode of the Today’s Wills and Probate podcast, as host David Opie sits down with Cara Doyle and Katie Howard from JMW Solicitors to explore gender […]
The November Budget: What could it mean for estate planners?
As the Chancellor prepares to deliver the Autumn Budget this November, attention is turning to the changes that could shape financial planning and wealth transfer in the year ahead. For estate planning professionals, this moment will bring both opportunity and uncertainty, from possible adjustments to Inheritance Tax thresholds, to evolving rules around pensions and capital […]
Stepchildren and second families: The inheritance risks private client lawyers must address
Modern families are increasingly complex, yet succession law remains rigidly traditional. Stepchildren have no automatic rights of inheritance, and second families are often unintentionally excluded – particularly where wills are outdated or intestacy rules apply. For private client solicitors, these dynamics pose serious risks that must be addressed at the planning stage and during estate […]
What can be done to improve mental health and wellbeing in legal services?
As more than half of lawyers say they anticipate leaving their role within the next five years because of poor mental health and wellbeing, the latest Today’s Wills and Probate Podcast tackles the issue head on with a wide ranging discussion on what organisations can do to protect their staff. Joining the podcast are Trish […]
Why personality is helping to build trust in the Will-writing sector
In an industry built on sensitivity, legacy, and trust, personality has become the quiet revolution reshaping how people choose their will-writing partners. For years, the will-writing sector has leaned on professionalism and reliability – qualities that remain essential, but they are no longer enough on their own. In a digital age, where consumers crave authenticity […]
Composing a legacy; mixing a jazz career with estate planning
The latest episode of the Today’s Wills and Probate Podcast, takes a musical tur as host David Opie welcomes John Heavens, CEO of Your Legacy Solutions – and a professional jazz musician. John shares with David his background and how the worlds came to collide; and how he manages to balance his two professions. By day, […]
Will banks are a promise to your clients
For many retiring Will writers and estate planning professionals, the Will bank they have built over decades represents more than a list of client files. It embodies trust, service, and continuity. Yet as practitioners approach retirement, a difficult question often arises: what happens next? The estate planning sector has changed considerably in recent years. More […]
Mazur v CRS LLP: A Ruling on Reserved Legal Activities in litigation matters which has an Impact on Probate Practice
The High Court’s recent decision in Mazur & Ors v Charles Russell Speechlys LLP ([2025] EWHC 2341(KB)) has sent a clear and consequential message to the legal profession: reserved legal activities under the Legal Services Act 2007 (LSA) must only be conducted by authorised individuals. The ruling resolved a dispute over unpaid legal fees but […]
Reimagining house clearances in the digital age
In this episode of the Today’s Wills and Probate podcast, host David Opie is joined by Elka Goldstein, founder of Sort & Store, to explore how estate clearance is being reimagined for one of probate’s most emotionally fraught tasks: clearing a loved one’s home. Sort and Store has taken the traditional house clearing process and […]
Are the proposed Inheritance Tax reforms a step in the right or wrong direction?
In the build up to the Autumn Budget on 26 November 2025, there are further signals coming from the Treasury in relation to inheritance tax (IHT) reform which could fundamentally reshape the way families plan for their future. The government’s earlier announcements of scaling back agricultural and business property relief (APR and BPR) from April […]
A new safe and free legal AI tool for everyone
The high court warned lawyers that relying on fake AI-generated citations, even unknowingly, could lead them to face serious professional consequences and risk a wasted costs order. While legal professionals can face severe sanctions when using AI inappropriately, the public should not be left exposed either when they are using AI to understand and resolve […]
39% of lawyers say not engaging with AI could harm their future careers
Nearly two thirds of lawyers are now using artificial intelligence to support the in their roles; but appear to be doing it off their own back with 17% of lawyers saying their firm has a ‘fully embedded’ AI strategy and operation, and two-thirds reporting their organisation’s AI culture is slow or non-existent. Adoption is up […]
Law firms ‘among least prepared for new fraud regulations’
More than half of UK law firms are unprepared for the new ‘failure to prevent fraud’ offence coming into force under The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA) in September, according to a new report from compliance training provider Skillcast. The legal sector ranks among the least prepared industries, with major governance and transparency […]
One in three dissatisfied with banks when it comes to probate process
Banks should be doing more to ensure a smoother probate process as new search identifies long waits, lost documents, mistakes and miscommunication impacting bereaved families and estate professionals. Research by consumer website Which? has found poor practice amongst banks when it comes to dealing with the accounts of deceased customers. In one case, a funeral […]