Charity begins at home
Will Aid has been forced to issue an apology after an email that was sent to 10,000 inquirers who had failed to have wills written under a previous scheme, were sent information promoting Co-operative Legal Services, The Goodwill Partnership and Which? containing the words “you don’t have to see a solicitor”. Several solicitors and firms […]
Should funds be released without a Grant of Probate?
A recent discussion on LinkedIn highlights the need for solicitors and probate practitioners to be vigilant when acting with banks and other professionals. Andy Riddle, Managing Director of Professional Deputies; a firm that manages the property and financial affairs of vulnerable adults, posted a discussion within the LinkedIn Wills and Estate Planning UK group to […]
Matt Lancaster appointed Chair of Legal Software Suppliers Association (LSSA)
Matt Lancaster, Sales and Marketing Director of Osprey Legal Cloud has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Legal Software Suppliers Association (LSSA), the UK industry body for legal systems developers and vendors. Lancaster takes over from Glyn Morris. "The LSSA’s collective clients form the majority of law firms in the UK. My vision […]
Dispelling some of the myths associated with charitable legacy giving
I’ve worked as a charity fundraiser for more than 15 years. A large proportion of this time has been spent promoting legacy giving. It’s a job I love. I get to highlight another way for people to help causes they are passionate about. I also get to see the difference their gifts make. The vast […]
Pension exit charges could be capped under Government review
The Government is set to consult and review the current legislation of exit fees from pensions. In particular the consultation taking place next month will look at options to address any “excessive” early exit penalties. These include the possibility of imposing a legislative cap on charges for those aged 55 or over. The consultation will […]
It’s all in the genes – Will they, or won’t they?
There is said to be an increasing need for probate genealogists – are they the key to finding missing beneficiaries? Growing Need for Probate Genealogists! #ProbateGenealogy #Genealogists #Probate #Wills #Inheritance http://t.co/xvyDdbcpdR – Heir Hunters (@THEHeirHunters) June 26, 2015
Could your clients be eligible to receive funeral payments?
When drafting or even amending a will for your clients, funeral planning is one of the integral areas that needs careful preparation. Helping to reduce the burden on family members or loved ones left behind should be a key objective. Funeral payments supplied by the Government could be available to your clients, to assist with […]
Woman alleges Barclays cheap will lost her entitlement to father’s home
Barclays is being sued by Tinuola Aregbesola, the daughter of the late Ebenezer Aregbesola, who claims that a botched will by the bank deprived her of a stake in her late father’s London home. The complaint, which was previously upheld by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), has now reached the High Court, after Barclays ignored […]
Interview with Chris Millward, new Chief Executive of the ILM
The Institute of Legacy Management (ILM) has appointed Chris Millward, currently Head of Legacies at Save the Children UK, as its new Chief Executive, starting full-time on 20th July 2015. Chris has been on the board of the ILM since August 2014 and worked one day a week as interim Executive Director for a three-month […]
SRA asks for views on its services
The public will be asked their views on the Solicitors Regulation Authority as part of a major perceptions survey starting this week. IFF Research, an independent market research agency, has been commissioned to undertake the survey, which the SRA will use to improve the way it provides services in the future. The first stage involves […]
A Step in the right direction
To date, there hasn’t yet been a government regulator for will writers. Technically anybody can write a will without any qualifications, provided it’s written accurately and within the guidelines of the law — and it will then be validated at probate. However, there are suggested rules that will writers should follow. The Society of Trust […]
You told us, we listened
Last week the team at Today’s Wills and Probate sent out a questionnaire to new subscribers asking which articles you were enjoying reading the most and what you to see more of in future issues of our publication. So at your request you can look forward to more of the following in coming months; Differences […]
Customer Reviews – What do they say about you?
Market research in the US conducted by Brandlocal.com has found that 88% of consumers read reviews to determine the quality of a local business and a further 88% trusted those views as much as a personal recommendation. The report also found 85% of consumers sought the advice of at least 10 reviews before purchasing. A […]
Free DIY Will with the Daily Mail this Saturday
The Daily Mail are offering their readers the chance to get a free will with this Saturday’s issue. The, ‘Last Will and Testament Kit’ is being provided free by Lawpack and contains information to enable laypersons to complete their own ‘legally valid will, without the expense of a solicitor’. Quite rightly, the Daily Mail are […]
The Probate Game – Will they, or won’t they?
This week we have an interesting comparison between probate and game shows – is it really that much of a gamble, or should this person be choosing a different professional? This probate thing makes me feel like I’m on a game show with lawyers. Get it right, then six figures. Get it wrong, bus […]
Donatio Mortis Causa ruling overturned by Court of Appeal
The ruling by the High Court in the case of King v Dubrey has been overturned by the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal decided that the deceased (Mrs Fairbrother) had not made a deathbed gift of her house to her nephew (Mr King) some four months before her death, on the basis that, […]
Interview with Tom Curran, Chief Executive of KCT
Kings Court Trust (KCT) and the Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW) have just announced (view article here) that they have entered into a strategic partnership to deliver the Integrated Legal Services (ILS) probate and estate administration service to all IPW member firms. Under the agreement, all IPW members will automatically be eligible to become KCT […]
Common sense IT security
Craig Matthews of the Legal Software Suppliers Association gives some practical tips on IT security and how to educate your staff to minimise security risks to your practice. The most frequently used passwords are 123456 and password. Others often used include QWERTY and abc123. For passwords that require eight characters the most common one is […]
The Probability of Death Calculator
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) state life expectancy is increasing year on year and their data shows the average 55 year old is predicted to live into their mid-eighties. There is now an online calculator on the ONS website, which was created in conjunction with the Treasury and the Cabinet Office, which aims to […]
What would happen to your business in the event of critical illness or even death?
There are thousands of small businesses in the UK, many of which are sole traders or firms that employ a small number of employees. With this in mind, planning for the future would surely be a high priority for most. Surprisingly, this does not appear to be the case. In terms of the business founder […]
