A court has found that a handwritten document found in Aretha Franklin’s sofa is a valid Will. Three of her four sons had been involved in an inheritance dispute following her death, which culminated in a court hearing to decide the validity of two handwritten documents. Sometime after Aretha Franklin’s death in 2018, her niece
Document handwritten by Aretha Franklin is ruled valid Will Read More »
It can be a shock to find that you have not been included in someone’s Will when you expected to inherit from them or you were being supported by them. In some situations, you may be able to make a claim if you have been left out of a Will or if you have received
Can I make a claim if I am cut out of a Will? Read More »
If you have inherited money from someone’s estate but you would rather it was given to someone else, you might be wondering if a Will can be changed after death. We take a look at the legal situation. There are several reasons why someone might want to change the effect of a Will after a
Can a Will be changed after death? Read More »
If you are a business owner, then it is particularly important to have a carefully-considered Will in place so that you can be sure that your operation will pass to the right person when the time comes. If something were to happen to you and you had not left a valid Will, then there is
Dealing with your business in your Will Read More »
If you are the executor or administrator of an estate, you will have the job of winding up the deceased’s affairs and distributing the estate to their beneficiaries. At a time when emotions tend to be running high, it can often be the case that disagreements arise. We offer some tips on avoiding difficulties and
Avoiding difficulties when dealing with beneficiaries after a death Read More »
If you have made a Will, you can also consider writing a letter of wishes to accompany it. We look at the purpose of a letter of wishes and why it can be beneficial. A letter of wishes is a non-binding document that you can leave with your Will. You can use it to set
Letters of Wishes explained Read More »
Wills are increasingly being used to create trusts to benefit loved ones after someone’s death. We take a look at why you might want to leave money in trust and how this is handled. Trusts can be set up by executing a trust deed during your lifetime or alternatively by leaving money or other assets
Increasing use of Wills to create trusts Read More »
The Resolution Foundation, an independent think tank established to improve the standard of living of low-to-middle-income families has called on the government to move to a new structure for charging Inheritance Tax. The organisation suggests lower rates for estates worth up to £1.5 million. We take a look at the current rates of Inheritance Tax
Prominent think tank calls for Inheritance Tax reforms Read More »
The government has raised the amount a spouse or civil partner can inherit if their partner dies without making a Will. As of 25 July 2023, the statutory legacy figure has increased from £270,000 to £322,000. We take a look at what this means and how the government arrived at the new sum. What happens
Statutory legacy sum raised to £322,000 Read More »
After a death, family members sometimes decide to deal with probate and estate administration themselves. We take a look at the potential risks and why it can be an advantage to ask a professional to take on the job. When someone dies their executor or, if they did not leave a Will, their administrator will
Should I take on estate administration myself? Read More »