The Benefits of Leaving Money to Charity

Making a Will is the only way to decide who benefits from you after your death. Naturally, making sure your family is looked after financially is an important consideration. However, there are benefits to leaving money to charity too. It means you’re not only supporting a worthy cause but your gift or legacy can also…

Energy Performance Certificates and Selling Your House

By law, if you’re building, renting out a property or selling your house, you’ll need a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015, introduced in phases from 2015, make it unlawful to sell, let or build properties with an energy performance rating of F or G.…

Care Costs & Protecting Your Assets

We’re all living longer and longterm care costs are significant. So, protecting your assets is something you should look at sooner rather than later. Plan Ahead & Stay in Control Amid other very serious issues, the government is still being lobbied hard to get to grips with funding the cost of care. However, not surprisingly,…

Recent Case Proves Persuasion Is Not Undue Influence

The recent case, Coles v Reynolds & Another [2020] EWHC 2151 (Ch), shows clearly how persuasion isn’t the same as ‘undue influence’ when it comes to challenging a Will. The case involved a dispute between two sisters over their mother’s Will. Made in May 2012, the mother had changed her previous Will. This had divided…

Emails and Digital Accounts May Affect Your Estate

Today, most people’s lives are consumed by digital technology, social media and the internet. It’s estimated that 59% of the global population, were actively using the internet in July 2020. But have you thought about how your digital footprint, your emails and digital accounts – your ‘digital assets’ – may affect your estate? The simple…

Impact of Stamp Duty Holiday on House Purchases

Confirmation of the much talked about ‘stamp duty holiday’ was announced on 8 July in Rishi Sunak’s ‘Summer Economic Update’ on all property sales in England and Northern Ireland. Along with temporary VAT cuts for pubs, restaurants and cafes, the measure is aimed at stimulating the UK housing market. And the changes are introduced with…

Adult Child Loses Inheritance Act Claim

In recent years, Inheritance Act claims by those who feel they have been unfairly cut out of a Will have escalated. However, a recent “absolutely hopeless” case brought by an adult child, under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, highlights how such litigation is uncertain, stressful and often costly. The Case –…

Impact of Coronavirus on Your House Purchase or Sale

The Government’s announcement last month, freeing-up the restrictions imposed in March on buying or selling a house, has helped to lift spirits and slow down the rate of transactions collapsing. But what impact will the new Coronavirus regulations have on your house sale or purchase? Essentially, as long as social distancing guidelines are followed, and…

Avoiding Family Disputes Over Your Will

There’s been a sharp increase in disputes over Wills in recent years. Last year alone saw a 60% increase of claims on estates by disappointed beneficiaries going through the courts. And, considering many cases settle out of court, the reality is that the increase is likely to be much higher. Some may think this rather defeats…

Statutory Legacy Amount to Increase

The amount a surviving spouse or civil partner can inherit (when there isn’t a Will) is set to change. Known as the statutory legacy, the limit, which was set at £250,000 in 2014, will rise to £270,000 on 6 February 2020. Statutory Legacy Limit Increase The increase has broadly been welcomed by most professionals. Nonetheless,…

Challenging Cost of Caring for the Elderly

The cost of care for the elderly isn’t far from the headlines these days. And it’s not without controversy either. Many of us may recognise the benefits of home care, but the cost of a commercial arrangement is beyond the reach of most. So, it’s likely that children or other family members will step into…

What are the Benefits of a Personal Injury Trust?

A Personal Injury Trust works pretty much the same way as most trusts, in that the Trust is created to manage assets (money, investments, land or buildings) for people. But there are several tangible benefits to setting up a Personal Injury Trust for those who will need long-term care following a severe injury. The main…

Equity Release Still on the Rise

According to a recent study commissioned by LV= equity release is still on the rise. Figures just out report an increase of 77% increase in sales from equity release products. And the overall equity release market in the UK reached an all-time high of £3.9bn for 2018. Could be Mainstream in a Decade Furthermore, LV=’s…

Probate Fee Increase Scrapped by Government

Dubbed the ‘stealth or death tax’ by many commentators, plans to increase probate fees up to a maximum of £6,000, have now been scrapped. Ministry of Justice Announcement Originally announced last November, Secretary of State for Justice, Robert Buckland, has now reversed the decision to change the current flat-fee structure in England and Wales to…

Clients Pledge Over £3.35 Million for Cancer Research

The clients of Curtis Parkinson have been recognised by Cancer Research UK for supporting their Free Will Service for almost 20 years. Since 1999, the generosity of their clients means that over £3.35 million worth of gifts have been pledged by those choosing to leave a legacy to the charity in their will. Solicitor and…

Inheritance Tax and The Residential Nil Rate Band (RNRB)

Maximising What You Leave Behind Most financial and legal experts will admit that the rules governing UK inheritance tax (IHT) are complex. Back in 2007, in an attempt to simplify the regime and “take the family home out of Inheritance Tax”, George Osborne promised to increase the nil rate band (NRB) from £325,000 to £1…

Daughter Beats Stepsister in £300k Inheritance Dispute

John & Ann Scarle, who died at home from hypothermia in October 2016, have been at the centre of a bitter inheritance dispute which settled recently, in August 2019. The argument ended up in the High Court after their two step-daughters, quibbled over which parent died first. The case revolved around a little used 100-year…

Persistent Probate Registry Delays Cost Dear

An Update Huge delays in submitting probate applications persist. A process that should take 2-3 weeks, in our experience, is still taking up to 12 weeks to turn around. According to a recent media report, as staff at the probate registry master the intricacies of their new software and battle with the backlog of applications,…

Squabbling Over Wills …

Were Relatives of Amy Winehouse & Aretha Franklin Destined to Argue? The importance of keeping your Will up-to-date and legally sound cannot be overstated. Do this and you’re covered. No squabbling among family members and no inheritance disputes. Nothing to affect your wishes after your gone. Most people think that. Yet every year there are…

Is Your Care Home Contract Fair?

UK care home providers face direct fines if they mislead ‘customers’ Care homes are much the same as any other business. They are obliged to provide their ‘customers’ with a contract. And that contract should comply with consumer law. However, according to research by consumer association Which? in 2018, many care homes they looked at…

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