With the current COVID-19 crisis, over 500 deaths a day from it currently in the UK and no friends and relatives allowed into hospital with us then how do we get our views over to the medical professionals? You may not have heard of an Advance Decision before but they’re a very powerful document [...]
Can I update my Will during this crisis? The short answer is …. Yes. However, it does come with a number of caveats. Can I do it in social isolation? Yes. The professional Will Writer still needs to do a full and comprehensive assessment of your needs and requirements which is best done face [...]
This is an article that I have reproduced from The Society of Will Writers (cohabiting-couples-rights-under-law) about your legal rights as a cohabiting rather than legally joined couple (e.g. marriage, civil partnership). It is fair to say that in the UK, family situations are becoming incredibly more complex and there are more than 6 million cohabiting couples in [...]
The government is looking at increasing the probate fees bereaved family and friends have to pay to activate a will, with the rise being labelled a 'death tax'. The fees are currently set at a flat rate of £215 for all estates worth at least £5,000. However, the government wants to move to a tiered [...]
When making your Will and / or your Powers of Attorney (LPA) you need to have “Mental Capacity”. That’s great but what is it and what do YOU need to know. Simply it is being able to make decisions for yourself. To have capacity a person must be able to: understand the information that is [...]
The executor of the Will is the person who has to sort your estate out when you've died. Sounds quite straightforward until you realise some of the things that they have to do. In no particular order: finding all the financial documentation belonging to the person who die sending a copy of the death certificate to the [...]
Fitzroy.org recently published a disturbing article about the worries and concerns of Carers. It focussed on the very real issues of what happens to their cared for persons after they have gone. Some even suggesting that they secretly hoped that their cared for person died before they did. Although much of the article is outside of [...]
I thought I’d give you a few facts and figures about Wills especially DIY Wills. Let me say from the beginning that if a DIY Will is written correctly with all the issues considered and covered then it will much cheaper than getting a Will done professionally. However, how many people actually do know enough [...]
This week, I have reproduced an article written by the Society of Will Writers. It explains in detail what happened and the likely consequences of disinheriting your child / children. The case of Ilott v Mitson is one which, by now, you will be most familiar with. The recent Court of Appeal ruling received huge [...]
This is a relatively new trust which was created under the Finance Act 2013. It is aimed at protecting individuals classed as having a severe disability from directly receiving an inheritance and the subsequent negative impact on their benefits. It is a discretionary trust so there must be two or more beneficiaries as a starter. [...]
