Fortis Law Launch Pre-Paid Probate Plan
We’re delighted to announce the launch of our new brand Fortis Law to the market place. Whilst we’re a new brand, we’re experienced professionals using years of experience to provide an innovative service to Will Writing and Estate Planning professionals. We’re already working with over 100 progressive law firms and estate planning businesses and we’re […]
How Do I Remove An Executor?
How to remove an executor is a question we get asked regularly. We thought it would be useful to look at the main principles relating to how, and when, it is possible to substitute or remove an executor. The role of an executor Executors (who are appointed in a will) and administrators (appointed when there […]
Error Strewn Probate Fees Order Could Languish In Waiting Room Until Autumn
The new probate fees statutory instrument has languished in a parliamentary waiting room for over two months with a myriad of errors. The Government were ready to launch the probate fees in their current draft and had planned to make the changes from April 1 this year. However, Law Society officials, have warned that the […]
Warring Sisters-In-Law Fight Over £3 Million Hertfordshire Farm
Family farms have often been at the centre of acrimonious legal proceedings. In recent weeks, warring sisters-in-law have been fighting over a family farm worth £3.2 million. 67-year-old farmer, Sally Kingsley, has won a High Court legal battle preventing her sister in law, Karim Kingsley, from selling her half of the farm she inherited from […]
Fraser And Fraser Partner Recalls Life-Saving Episode
In an interview published today (May 7th 2019) the Daily Mail talks to Fraser and Fraser partner Neil Fraser about a subject outside the firm’s usual areas of expertise in genealogy and probate research. In an article headed “What to do in an Emergency”, the star of BBC’s Heir Hunters talks about the time his […]
Pensioners Paying £4 Billion More In Tax Contributions Than Originally Thought
The Government have been accused of ‘sneaking out’ statistics highlighting that the government coffers have siphoned off £4 billion more in income tax from desperately needed pension pots than was originally thought. According to the Personal Pension Statistics, published by the Office for National Statistics earlier this week, tax on private pensions increased to £18.4 […]
Software Issues Cause Significant Delays To MoJ Applications
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ), HM Court and Tribunals System (HMCTS) and the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) are facing significant backlogs on various applications because of issues with software after adapting a new system. Following the Court of Protection User Group meeting for April, delegates revealed that The Court of Protection (CoD) have […]
OPG Aiming To Reduce Average Age Of LPA Users
Despite the fact that the uptake in Lasting Power of Attorneys (LPA) has grown exponentially in recent years, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is looking to educate more people into the importance of safeguarding their personal and financial circumstances if they lose capacity. Since 2013, the use of LPAs has tripled. The 800,400 […]
OPG Promise A Fully Online LPA Application Process
The Office of the Public Guardian will look to make the application process for Lasting Power of Attorneys (LPA) fully automated and online. The Office for the Public Guardian (OPG) released their safeguarding strategy that will be implemented until 2025 earlier this week. Embedded within point 5 of the document entitled ‘Greater support for our […]
Consumers Demand More Online Communication Channels
The legal service consumer views online communication as a vital tool in creating a more efficient, cheaper service. According to a recent survey, carried out by mmadigital, 83% of respondents would opt to communicate online as opposed to face to face. Anxious of the perceived increased costs involved with meeting in person, the majority would […]
The only time you’ll need paper…
Running a business means you are always looking for ways to cut costs, save time and increase client satisfaction. Countrywide Legacy’s paperless system allows you to do exactly that! Going paperless not only saves your business precious time and money, but it is also a huge step in improving your customer service. With Countrywide Legacy, […]
Remaining Up To Date With Key Changes To Legislation
As people are living longer, it is becoming more important than ever to ensure that the rights of vulnerable members of society and those who have lost capacity are upheld. In recent years, a myriad of organisations, including The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and politicians in Parliament […]
Majority Of Population Unprepared To Finance Retirement
The majority of the population remain naive about how much money they will need to live on when they retire. According to recent research, from Equity Release Supermarket, of over 4,000 people aged over 40-years-old, 80% of the respondents under the age of 60 were oblivious to how much money they would need to live […]
MOJ To Press Ahead With Closure Of Probate Registries
In the continuing £1bn reform of the courts and tribunals system, the Ministry of Justice is set to close regional probate registries. It was reported last week that some staff at the ten registries in England and Wales have been told that operations will be scaled back and eventually closed. The plan is to move […]
MCA Amendment Bill Omits Lords’ Proposed Deprivation Of Liberty Definition
The Mental Capacity Amendment Bill 2017-19 made its way for a final time through the House of Lords last week. Having been through eleven previous stages of development between the two houses, the Lords agreed with the final amendments suggested in the Commons third reading of the amended Bill. Whilst the Lords had aimed to […]
