Are you wasting time on Social Media?
Many will writers are winning business using social media networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, but unless you are using it correctly, trying to build your business online can soon become a drain on your time and resources. According to recent research conducted by Ofcom, there is growing usage of social media amongst […]
Who is best? – Will they, or won’t they?
Accountants are now able to carry out probate services – is this a good addition within the industry, or should it be a more restricted practice? Will this work effectively for clients? Which group of professionals is best for probate – legal or non-legal, specialist or multi-skilled? Please share your thoughts in the comments section […]
Law Society launch 7th Edition of the Probate Practitioner’s Handbook
The Law Society have recently launched the 7th Edition of the Probate Practitioner’s Handbook. The Handbook, affectionately referred to as the ‘go to guide’ for busy probate practitioners, has been thoroughly updated to take account of all of the recent developments in the wills and probate industry. As a well-established and popular guide to good […]
Solicitor stole from deceased estates to prop up failing business
John Irwin, a County Down solicitor, pleaded guilty earlier this month to three counts of fraud and three counts of false accounting from which he stole almost £94,000 from deceased clients. The offences, which took place between August 2007 and July 2012, involved three deceased males he was acting for in probate matters on behalf […]
‘Review Wills’ warning comes following plans for changes to wills
The Government has announced a consultation into Deeds of Variation, arguing the process can be used to wrongly avoid tax. They have been deemed controversial by some, however solicitors and financial planners argue it’s a valuable policy that can be used to correct mistakes and ensure the straightforward handling of estates between families. What are […]
Networking for will writers – Will they, or won’t they?
As a will writing professional, you may or may not have heard about BNI. This is a national organisation that allows local business owners and professionals to network within their community amongst other professionals, in order to gain contacts and develop their business. Is this an effective way for will writers to gain more clients? […]
Dying Matters: are you talking about dying, death and bereavement?
This week between 18th and 24th May 2015, Dying Matters is running its sixth annual Dying Matters Awareness Week. The aim of the week is to get as many people as possible talking about death, dying, bereavement and end of life plans. The theme of the week is ‘Talk, Plan, Live’ and the Twitter hashtag […]
Today’s Wills and Probate hits 500 subscribers
We are pleased to announce that our publication, Today’s Wills and Probate, the sister publication to established news site, Todays Conveyancer, has reached 500 subscribers within six months of launching. Building on the success of Today’s Conveyancer, we launched Today’s Wills and Probate at the back-end of 2014 with the intention of informing will writing […]
Landmark Information Group signs partnership with Experian
As part of the agreement, Landmark’s Financial Asset Search service now includes Experian’s Unclaimed Assets Register search with every orderLandmark Information Group has entered a partnership with Experian, the leading global information services company. The first deliverable from the agreement is to automatically include Experian’s Unclaimed Assets Register (UAR) search for lost financial assets into […]
Society of Will Writers’ Annual Conference attracts top specialists
The Society of Will Writers (SWW) have announced their annual conference will this year be held at The Abbey Hotel in Redditch and will maintain the traditional two day structure as with previous years. The 2015 conference, which is being held on 5th and 6th October, is particularly significant for the Society, as this year […]
Inheritance cases in the High Court increase by 76%
In 2012, 490 inheritance cases were heard in the High Court, this rose to 861 in 2013 — a 76% increase. That number is expected to have risen again when the 2014 figures become available. A number of factors are contributing to the rise in claims, including the fragmented nature of modern families; with second […]
Will Deeds of Variation survive the new government?
The government has recently announced a consultation into Deeds of Variation over state concerns that the process can be used to wrongly avoid tax. Deeds of variation have been a longstanding legal device to correct perceived mistakes and out dated clauses within wills. However, they have become scrutinised more and more within recent years for […]
SDLT.co.uk launches ‘FormEvo’ a revolutionary legal forms application at LegalEx
The SDLT.co.uk team, who brought the first Stamp Duty Land Tax online return solution to the legal marketplace, has now entered the electronic legal forms market with a brand new revolutionary legal forms application called FormEvo. SDLT.co.uk’s Managing Director, Archie Courage, said: "As a result of listening to our customers who were asking us to […]
Live for today and not tomorrow?
According to recent reports, traditional inheritances are ‘dying out’ and allegedly half of those in retirement are giving a ‘living inheritance’ before they die. A study found pensioners today are keener on seeing their relatives enjoy it while also escaping inheritance taxes. With people living longer, this way they are less likely to have a […]
Yes! You do have difficulty with getting financial institutions to recognise Powers of Attorney
Following on from a recent article on Today’s Wills & Probate regarding the Financial Ombudsman’s efforts to improve awareness of powers of attorneys with financial institutions, it seems that many will writers and solicitors do have trouble with getting them recognised by the banks. Posting the question in groups on LinkedIn provoked the following responses:- Rachel […]
Will the new government implement a match-funding scheme for charitable gifts?
In mid- April, Remember A Charity released its 2015 general election legacy manifesto. Remember A Charity, which is a consortium of over 140 charities, aims to change the perceptions of the nation towards charitable legacies; so that legacy giving becomes the norm for the majority, rather than just the few. In its manifesto, the consortium […]
Probate business sold by HSBC Trust
HSBC Holdings have agreed a deal to sell its UK probate business for an undisclosed amount to Simplify Channel Ltd. The transaction, which is expected to complete in the fourth quarter of 2015, includes 73 employees moving to the probate services firm, together with a referral arrangement for HSBC Trust Co to refer clients needing […]
Will Aid 2015 – Will they, or won’t they?
Registrations are now being taken for Will Aid 2015. All solicitors and law firms that can provide will writing services are invited to join the scheme. What do you think of campaigns such as this – are they a positive step in the right direction for both solicitors and clients? Have you taken part in […]
The not so ‘Young One’ who didn’t think ahead
Probate records recently revealed that the late comedian Rik Mayall failed to make a will during his lifetime, despite a near death experience which saw him suffer serious head injuries following a quad biking accident in 1998. Mayall enjoyed success over a career spanning 30 years and being one of the leading ‘alternative’ comics in […]
What impact will the increase in court fees have on contested probate claims?
The government recently published plans to increase court fees. The last increase was in April 2014 and now the March 2015 rise could see significant increases in some areas. For example, Claims between £10,000 and £200,000 will incur a court fee of 5% of the amount claimed Claimants issuing through Secure Data Transfer (SDT) or […]
