The Solicitors Regulation Authority is today (Wednesday 30th September) launching a national ‘A Question of Trust’ campaign to give everyone a chance to have their say about action taken against those solicitors who fall short
Today’s Wills & Probate met with Peter James, Head of Regulatory Policy at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) last week. ICAEW have seen a surge in the number of accountancy
The Wills, Trusts and Probate team at B P Collins LLP have recently appointed a new private wealth specialist, Vicky Johnson. During September, the firm welcomed various new solicitors to the private client practise including
The Government’s plans to increase the threshold for the value of estates eligible for Inheritance Tax (IHT) in the Summer Budget may not reduce the level of IHT people pay as much as anticipated. Recent
At this year’s Society of Will Writers’ Conference, a brand new product will be launching that’s designed to keep digital legacies and sensitive information used for probate, within a safe “Vault”. What are your thoughts
The Government’s decision not to regulate will writing in England and Wales has left the industry wide open to abuse. Anyone can set up as a will writer, even if they have no qualifications or
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has made it easier and quicker for firms to apply for a change in status by cutting form filling by a third. New slimline application forms have been introduced for
Should clients continue to store their wills with a law firm, or are there better options out there? A recent article published by Human Law has taken the controversial stance of advocating that clients should
With the newly enhanced efforts criminals go to in order to get their hands on valuable assets, it’s integral for any professional to remain adept in how to protect yourself as well as your business.
Donations to UK charities in the last decade were around £2 billion per annum. A large sum however, when you compare that figure to the ratio of charities in the UK who are bequeathed gifts
The number of cases of baby boomers disputing wills and being prosecuted over attempts to defraud elderly relatives has increased by record numbers. Inter-family fraud has increased by 300% from £544,000 in the first quarter
How can you share knowledge on the importance of having a will and details on the probate process, including why it’s advised to use a qualified professional? Discover local businesses that work amongst your target
Claire Barker is Managing Partner and one of the founders of Equilaw — a unique law firm offering advice to clients considering releasing equity from their homes. She told Jane Common at Today’s Wills &
Only Fools and Horses star, Roger Lloyd-Pack, died intestate leaving an estate worth £1.4 million, highlighting the problems that can arise from not creating a will. The issue of not creating a valid will is
The new amendments that have been made to the Society of Will Writers (SWW) Code of Practice, certainly has the intentions of solidifying the current rules and guidance for Society members. Despite will writing being
Many charities are now being supported by law firms in campaigns and events to encourage clients to remember charities in their will. One successful case of such partnerships has arisen in Lincolnshire, where hundreds of
The SRA Compensation Fund paid out over £23,800 million in the year to 31st October 2014, latest figures reported to the SRA Board meeting reveal. Grants are primarily paid from the Fund to compensate those
It seems dining and delving work well together when it comes to probate, according to this week’s tweet. In addition, the font of probate records has changed over time – is this something you had
Two thirds of people reaching retirement age next year will receive less than the full flat rate pension, reveals a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the Sunday Times. Whilst many people approaching retirement
A raft of changes that will further cut red tape and provide new ways of becoming a solicitor has been approved by the SRA Board. The changes focus on eight separate areas of the Handbook.
It no longer seems enough for a client to simply exclude a family member, in particular a young or adult child, from their will. Concerns have been raised that a parent must be able to
New apprenticeship standards in conveyancing and probate published following approval by the Department for Business, Industry and Skills Developed by practitioners with the support of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers Assessment bodies going through approval
In 2014, Today’s Wills and Probate published an article setting out guidance for solicitors when clients choose to leave a particular gift to their solicitor or someone affiliated to either the solicitor personally or the business
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) says the Apprenticeship Standards in law, confirmed as ready for delivery this week by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), will drive up quality and improve access to
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) latest data showed that 51% of people in England and Wales are single — half the population.* In reality, as we know in will writing circles, the definition of
In a world that is becoming increasingly digital, this week’s tweet raises the issue of online and digital assets. Your clients may not consider the value of certain accounts, photographs, messages and other forms of
Will Aid 2015 takes place in November and organisers are currently looking for solicitors to get involved. Former chairman Chris Millward — now Chief Executive at the ILM — told Today’s Wills & Probate why
The recent case of Melita Jackson; where the court ordered her a payment from her late mother’s estate, despite that she had been expressly disinherited; demonstrates an individual’s testamentary freedom can be limited by the
There is still time to comment on the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s discussion paper dealing with client financial protection issues. Published in July, the paper deals with professional indemnity insurance, compensation arrangements and how they work
The UK has recently opted out of EU succession rules — how will this impact your clients with assets abroad? The 17th of August this year marked a significant change in succession rules for those
DUAL Asset Underwriting, the specialist asset protection division of The DUAL Group, is delighted to announce the appointment of industry veteran Mark Dennis, who will be joining this month (August 2015), to lead its new
This week’s tweet highlights the delays that are being caused with applications to the Probate Register when issuing grants of probate. This means the process is extended even further for bereaved families. What needs to