Executors are being advised by a leading barrister that they are legally obliged to reopen the files of administration where evidence of outstanding disbursements or bequests emerge after probate is granted. If they fail to

A recent Health and Social Care Select Committee report in the House of Commons reveals that countries allowing assisted dying have not seen a decline in end-of-life care. There is evidence of enhanced support and

In a recent development within a prolonged legal battle, the Court of Appeal in England and Wales has overturned a High Court ruling from August 2023 regarding the contentious will of Anna Rea, who passed

In England and Wales, inheritance disputes are reaching record levels, with specialist lawyers estimating around 10,000 cases annually, as reported by The Guardian. The year 2021-22 saw 195 cases go to trial, a significant increase

In a recent response to concerns raised about probate application delays, Lord Bellamy, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, outlined measures the Ministry of Justice is implementing to expedite the probate process. This comes

STEP has responded to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation on the storage and retention of wills and other documents submitted in applications for probate. This consultation proposes a reform that will allow older wills and

An organisation that has helped over 2,000 charities to benefit from charitable gifting through wills has reported a surge in business as more people begin to leverage the accessibility of online wills. Founded in 2018

Comentis, a duty of care assessment company, has announced the launch of a “tech-enabled mental capacity assessment” for the equity release sector. Designed to ensure conveyancers and solicitors are suitably equipped to assess borrowers’ mental

The DWP set out plans to ensure the £1.4 trillion held by pension schemes delivers for savers and the economy. Plans include making surplus extraction easier for well-funded Defined Benefit (DB) schemes, alongside a public

The latest HMRC update finds that Inheritance Tax (IHT) has raised £6.3 billion through the current financial year (April 2023 – January 2024), an increase of 7% on the previous year through the same period

The equity release market has “reasons to be cheerful” as increased product innovation combined with expected base rate cuts and gilt rates moving below 4%, provide the foundations for renewed growth, new data from the

According to a new study carried out by Edinburgh-based business, My Probate Partner, only 21% of the Scottish public understands what probate is and what the process entails. The research, which questioned members of the

Today’s Training has a fantastic line up of webinars over the next few weeks, don’t miss out on an opportunity to develop your understanding of key industry topics which count towards Continuing Professional Development. A

Irwin Mitchell has added to its Private Client Services Team with the appointment of Senior Associate Solicitor Sarah Bolt who specialises in will, trust and estate disputes. Sarah will be based at the firm’s Bristol

53% of UK professionals would start looking for a new job if their employer told them they’d have to work more days in the office. With over two-fifths (46%) stating costs associated with returning to

Over a quarter (28%) fear they won’t be able to afford their mortgage if it moved onto their lender’s Standard Variable Rate (SVR), new research from Perenna reveals. An additional 36% would find it difficult