Will Writing

Research done on behalf of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) has found that almost half of UK adults who have a Will have not updated it for more than five years. SFE is a national association of independent lawyers who specialise in legal matters for the elderly and vulnerable. They understand the difficulties that can

When you write your Will, you may be wondering whether it will remain a private document or whether it is ever likely to become public knowledge. We take a look at the issues surrounding publication of Wills. After the death of Prince Philip, the High Court gave permission for his Will to be sealed, so

Having a Will in place gives most people great peace of mind, but it is important to review the document from time to time to ensure that it still reflects your wishes. You may decide that you want to distribute your estate in a different way or appoint someone else to act as your executor

After a death, the deceased’s executor or administrator has the job of winding up the estate. Once this has been done, they are required to provide a final estate account, setting out all of the assets, income, liabilities and expenses as well as the amount that is payable to the beneficiaries. Administering an estate involves

If someone dies without making a Will, they are said to be intestate. If they do not have any living relatives, then it is the law that their estate will go to the Crown. The Rules of Intestacy provide that where an individual has not left a valid Will, then on their death their estate

The government has announced an extension of its legislation allowing individuals who are isolating to have their Will witnessed virtually. The law was originally introduced in September 2020 so that those who could not meet others during the pandemic were still able to put a Will in place. The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that

If you believe that a loved one’s Will is not valid for some reason, you may be entitled to raise a legal challenge. Grounds for challenging the validity of a Will There are a number of reasons why a Will might not be valid, as follows: It was not properly executed The person making the

A recent report has found that only half of parents plan to share their estate equally between their children. The report, carried out on behalf of Netwealth and The Money Whisperer®, found that there was a lack of understanding on the part of both parents and young adults in respect of finances and what might

When an estate executor or administrator deals with the winding up of someone’s affairs after their death, it is their job to distribute the net estate to the beneficiaries who are entitled to inherit. Where a beneficiary cannot be located, it is important that the executor or administrator discharges their liabilities by doing all in

A study has shown that sibling rivalry lasts into adulthood, with arguments continuing down the years over sensitive issues. A poll commissioned by NOW found that a quarter of adults still argue with their siblings. Some 26% compete with a brother or sister over their career while 22% bicker about home ownership. Over 20% argue