Wills, Probate & Trusts
Is the government about to increase probate…
The government is pressing ahead with proposals to make the cost of obtaining a ‘grant of probate’ proportionate to the value of the estate. Harrison Drury’s James Dickinson explores what this…
What happens when people die with no…
Harrison Drury’s Edward Stanley sheds light on the ancient law of Bona Vacantia and what it means for people who think they may have claim on someone’s estate. Most people…
Death in the digital age: Looking after…
Unsurprisingly the Wills Act 1837 does not cover what happens to your online presence when you die. Harrison Drury’s James Dickinson examines some of the issues. Everyone understands that when…
Will new HMRC Trusts Register affect you?
A new raft of anti-money laundering rules has important implications for all trusts. Harrison Drury’s Jan Wright sheds some early light on the likely impact. A new Trusts Register People…
How to talk to parents about Lasting…
Many older people value their independence and see making a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) as giving up their autonomy to some extent, so it can often be difficult to…
Who makes decisions for a person who’s…
People are increasingly concerned about who would look after their financial affairs and make key decisions about their welfare if they were no longer able to make these decisions themselves.…
Contesting a will: What are my options…
The issue of contested wills, and people being ‘disinherited’ from a parent’s will, has hit the headlines again after a long-running legal case was finally decided by a High Court…
Can a will be made for someone…
A statutory will is a will which is made on behalf of a person who does not have the mental capacity to make their own. The Court of Protection can…
What is a living Will?
A living will is another name for an advance directive or advance decision. They are used to make advance decisions about refusing medical treatment and can only be used for…
Harrison Drury signs up to support Wills…
Harrison Drury is supporting a campaign encouraging people to plan for the future by writing a will while also supporting their local hospice. The firm is backing Wills Week 2014…
Four myths about making a will debunked
People frequently ask why it is necessary to make a will, often assuming that their estate will automatically be distributed the way they would have wished. In reality, there are…
Are you paying too much inheritance tax?
The importance of obtaining specialist advice when dealing with HM Revenue and Customs in this complex area of law cannot be stressed too highly. This was starkly illustrated in a…
Using a deed of variation to alter…
A Deed of Variation (sometimes called a Deed of Family Arrangement) enables the beneficiaries of a deceased person’s estate to alter the distribution of the estate. A Deed of Variation…
Changes to Inheritance Tax rates when making…
While there were no sweeping changes to Inheritance Tax announced in this year’s Budget, Chancellor George Osborne did reveal that from April 2012 the Inheritance tax rate would be cut…
Why you shouldn’t take shortcuts with LPAs
While reading a recent issue of the Which? magazine I was intrigued to read an article on Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA). The article set out various advantages of making…
Inheritance Tax: Transferable Nil Rate Bands explained
Everyone has an allowance which they can leave free of Inheritance Tax on their deaths. This amount is referred to as the Nil Rate Band and is currently £325,000. Furthermore,…
Current Inheritance Tax position
Alistair Darling’s last budget in April froze the Inheritance Tax Allowance (IHT) of £325,000 until 2015. So should there be any inflation and/or should people’s estates increase in size, this…
Why should you make a Lasting Power…
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document which allows you to appoint a person or people you trust to look after your affairs. There are two types…
