Generally speaking – pensions are not considered part of your estate and are not subject to Inheritance Tax. However, there are ways that a pension pot can become part of your estate. Furthermore, there are things that can be done to ensure your partner and family benefits from your pension. To ensure your partner, or...
The number of Wills that are challenged, based on fraud or forgery is increasing – although not great in number. However, this trend does underline the need to ensure that Wills are both up to date and that an individual’s wishes, relating to the Will, are made known to close family and friends. However, should...
Should a loved one die abroad, the fact that they are overseas can add to your stress, compounding the tragedy. However, provided you know what is required, the process of dealing with the situation can be relatively straight forward. Furthermore, there will be help at hand, from a variety of avenues, to help with the...
Up until July 2019 and the implementation of ‘Claudia’s Law’, families of missing persons had no legal authority to deal with the property and financial affairs of a missing family member. Previously, a missing person had to be declared dead under the ‘Presumption of Death Act 2013;’ this could only be applied after a person...
When you die there is a process consisting of various stages, that needs to take place. Whilst it might seem a little macabre to consider this, it’s worth you and your loved ones understanding the process so that should the worst happen, they know what’s involved and have an understanding of what’s required of them....
Long before the Covid 19 pandemic, probate registry offices were experiencing long delays. Coronavirus has merely exacerbated these delays with short – staffed departments coming under increasing pressure leading to mistakes and yet further delays. This in turn is slowing down the move to digital where applications can be made online. These delays have but...
Whilst any Will can be contested for up to six months following death, having a specialist third party Will writing specialist to help formulate and produce your Will can greatly limit the possibility of a contentious probate, and family feud situation which can be a drawn out affair with high legal costs. An independent Will...
In times gone by, considering an equity release loan had somewhat ‘dubious connotations.’ This is because it often entailed selling your property to a loan provider with often ‘questionable’ results, leading such action to be viewed as an act of financial desperation. However, times have changed. Escalating property values has seen a huge surge in...
If the new Inheritance Tax (IHT) proposals by the ‘All Party Parliamentary Group’ (APPG) go ahead, mums and dads intending to help their children get a ‘foothold’ on the property ladder need to consider carefully how they proceed. As with so many tax reforms that are ‘intended to help us,’ the new IHT proposals are...
Making clear those whom you do not wish to benefit from your estate can be as important as detailing the beneficiaries; particularly when it comes to family members – those most likely to contest a Will. Any Will can be contested and quite often this is by a disgruntled or an estranged, family member. When...
