The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has handed down a record fine to a solicitor who took an unfair advantage of his former client. Nigel Harvie, who worked at a firm with his name in Oxford,
With the changes to the pension system that will allow people to access their pension pot coming into force next month, the Financial Conduct Authority is urging people to be ScamSmart and on the look-out for
The Will Company have announced they are currently recruiting! Due to the ever-increasing number of leads for Wills, LPAs and Trusts, the business is now looking to expand their team and need experienced instruction takers
Lloyd Pope and Peter Legerton, former directors of advisory firm TailorMade Independent Ltd (TMI), have been banned from senior positions in financial services by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Pope has been fined £93,800, Legerton
Vitality UK have been holding Adviser Forums this week between 16th and 20th March – did any of you take part and were they a useful networking strategy for the wills and probate industry? Some
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is investigating two solicitor firms that should have closed at the end of December last year because they did not have a valid insurance policy. The two are the only
Too often, we hear of the distress caused to families of those who have died intestate and the many challenges people have had to face when trying to manage a loved one’s estate, as they
Don’t be duped into disclosing bank security information, the SRA is warning following reports of more firms being targeted by telephone con artists. The reports involve at least two incidents this month where telephone fraudsters
The Board of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has approved its Competence Statement for solicitors, which defines the standards expected of solicitors at the point of qualification and the steps they need to take to
Advice on how to have a “prosperous” retirement has been published – will consumers take note? Which of these steps do you feel is key to having a successful retirement plan in place? Please share
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Martin Wheatley has today highlighted the organisation’s responsibility to protect pension savers ahead of the new pension freedoms in April. Speaking the National Association of Pension Funds investment conference in
A Labour government would push for UK overseas territories to be put on an international ‘blacklist’ if they refuse to co-operate in the drive against tax avoidance. Ed Miliband recently stated “Billions of pounds are
As part of their #useaprofessional campaign aimed towards consumers, The Law Society have created an infographic featuring the key points will writing clients need to be aware of. Have they included all the integral information?
A landmark inheritance case that went all the way to the High Court confirms that the correct test for mental capacity, when making a will or looking to contest one, is that in the 1870
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has today published a consultation paper on proposed changes to its pension transfer rules, designed to reflect the Government’s new flexible pensions regime. The FCA already regulates advice on transfers
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have today published a joint call for evidence on the disclosure of transaction cost information for workplace pension schemes. From April this
New rules published by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) today will help to protect consumers wanting to access their pension savings from 6th April 2015 by requiring firms involved in the sale of retirement income
The My Power of Attorney campaign in Scotland aims to make people more aware of the benefits of having a Power of Attorney (PoA) in place. Do you feel this is a necessity within will
Changing circumstances are a major factor when preparing and updating a will for clients. Typical considerations include family dynamics, property ownership, and retirement plans – all of which need to be scrutinised well in advance
Governing Council of CLC settles strategy of specialisation in regulation of property law services Focus on continued support for innovation and competition in context of high standards of consumer protection Builds on the regulator’s strengths
Recent analysis shows around 11,500 families each year find themselves having to apply to the Courts and appoint a Deputy, when a family member becomes unable to handle their affairs. This chosen person is delegated
Brits retiring abroad who are adapting their financial affairs to suit April’s new pension rules are also being advised to reassess their worldwide estate and inheritance plans once they are non-residents of the UK. "Expat
A new online estate planning software company is looking for testers – will this be a success within the industry? @ThywillWorthing We’re looking for experienced will writers to trial WillSuite. Does your will writing team
Will the new Facebook “Legacy Contact” addition prove useful for the wills and probate sector? New Facebook feature lets you designate a person to edit your page after your die http://t.co/pjMjEs3uCb – Daily
As a regular user of the Lawyer Checker Account and Entity Screen search, Kidd Rapinet LLP is prioritising the security of its client’s money within purchase transactions. As is advised by LC, all fee earners
The Ministry of Justice is launching a “planning for the future” campaign next month to raise public awareness of LPAs and to get the message across: “Make the choice. Don’t take the chance”. “We want
The Society of Will Writers has just released a video to encourage more people, from all backgrounds, to join the profession. Brian McMillan, Director General of the society, talked to Today’s Wills and Probate about
When preparing and dealing with probate cases, full disclosure of all assets is paramount as you will be aware. Failure to do so can result in hefty fines from HMRC. An example of such a
Kings Court Trust (KCT) recently reported on a case of theirs, whereby a will was purposely destroyed by a family member — which raises interesting questions surrounding those particular circumstances. As a wills and probate
Every Thursday evening, we will bring you a little snippet of what is being mentioned in the world of wills and probate. “Will they, or won’t they?” weekly snippets will reveal the best (and worst)
Since September last year, it has been a focus of The Law Society to urge consumers to “Use a Professional, Use a Solicitor” for legal advice. One of their most recent reports focusses on the
Based upon the cases’ facts, Walker v Badmin initially seemed atypical and unlikely to have any major effect on UK Law. The High Court case, however, appears to have confirmed, beyond doubt, that the capacity