Guidance on VAT Disbursements
The Law Society has issued guidance around VAT treatment of disbursements and expenses following on from a decision made of the First-tier Tax Tribunal in Brabners LLP v The Commissioners for her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) (2017 UKFTT 0666) . Brabners LLP were treating the cost of property searches as disbursements and as a result were not […]
New Research Sheds Light On Potential Improvements To Supported Will-Making
In April 2019, the Law Commission welcomed new research on the potential for reform to Will making for individuals with intellectual disability. The study, entitled, Supported Will-Making: A Socio-Legal Study of Experiences, Values, and Potential in Supporting Testamentary Capacity (the report) authored by Professor Rosie Harding, Dr Ezgi Taşcıoğlu, and Magdalena Furgalska, looked at the […]
The Saga Is Over: Justice Secretary Withdraws Probate Fees Order
The saga of the Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2018 has finally drawn to a close after the Justice Secretary announced the immediate withdrawal of the proposals at the weekend. The Order would have introduced probate fees on a sliding scale up to £6,000 depending on the value of the estate, replacing the current flat fee […]
Today’s Wills And Probate Is Five This Week
It is officially Today’s Wills and Probate’s fifth birthday! Having launched the publication on 12th October 2014 with aspirations of providing up to date news in the Wills and probate sector, we are delighted that the publication has grown from strength to strength. Since the publication’s birth, we have had the pleasure to produce pertinent […]
IDR Law: The Story So Far
Inheritance dispute specialists IDR Law is two years old and a new birthday video summarises its development to date. Based in Harrogate, IDR is a boutique firm specialising solely in inheritance disputes and contentious probate issues. The Journey So Far… begins with the firm’s creation in October 2017 by veteran probate lawyer Martin Holdsworth. In […]
Court Action Against Attorneys Reaches Record High Levels
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has taken drastic action against hundreds of attorneys alleged to have exploited their position in 2018/2019, reaching the largest number ever recorded. The OPG has applied for court orders against attorneys alleged to have misbehaved badly in over 700 cases in the past 12 months. According to data […]
What Do Mortality Statistics Mean for Private Client Practitioners?
Every year the Office for National Statistics (ONS) releases national mortality data, which includes a wide variety of information including underlying causes. Understanding the underlying causes of deaths in the UK and observing the changes in trends over time provides valuable insight for a variety of professional sectors, but what insight can private client practitioners […]
Webinar: The Estate Administration Timeline
Contribute to your continuing competence by joining the next specialist Title Research free webinar, taking place on Wednesday 16th October at 12:00pm. Title Research’s Technical Manager, Simon Barber, will take you through everything that’s involved in the estate administration timeline. Simon will discuss the importance of identifying assets, proving entitlement and what happens after distribution. He will […]
Trust Surpasses Price When Clients Select A Law Firm
Reputation and trust are more important than price to clients when it comes to choosing a law firm to help them with a legal matter, according to findings derived from the biggest-ever client experience research project conducted in the legal sector. LawNet, the collaborative non-profit network for independent law firms, led the project undertaking almost […]
Fraudsters Steal £616m In First 6 Months
According to official UK data, the amount of money stolen by criminals through bank transfer scams has risen by 40%. UK Finance say that scammers stole £616m from UK bank customers during the first 6 months of 2019. £208m of this, was stolen by criminals using authorised push payments (APP) fraud. This was a 40% […]
What Will Brexit Mean For Data Compliance?
As the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) nears its 18 month anniversary, recent research conducted by software supplier Egress have revealed that only 48% of UK businesses are fully compliant with the rules. Organisations had taken their GDPR compliance seriously in the lead up to the May 2018 deadline, but activity started to drop off […]
SWW Annual Conference 2019
Time is running out to book your place at The Society of Will Writers Annual Conference and spaces are filling up fast! This year’s event takes place on the 7th and 8th of October at The Hilton East Midlands Airport. Based on feedback from previous years we searched for a new venue, opting for the […]
Settify Enlist AI To Make Will-Drafting Faster, Easier And More Profitable
Solicitors at Probaters and legal technologists Settify have joined forces to design and successfully launch Europe’s first artificially intelligent Wills and Estates client intake system. The online system uses artificial intelligence to help firms interact with new Wills and Estate clients in real time. One of the benefits of this new system, sees it being […]
Lasting Power Of Attorney Refund Scheme Loses Momentum
Less than a quarter of those entitled to a claim a refund from the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) refund scheme have been refunded their over payment. Up to 16th September, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) had handled 223,759 refunds with 84% of all applications approved and refunded, according to a freedom of […]
Third Of Brits Believe Wills Are Just For The Wealthy
New research issued by Remember A Charity during their Remember A Charity in Your Will Week revealed almost a third (30%) believed that they only need to make a Will if they are very rich. Last week’s campaign sought to encourage everyone to have a Will in place and to consider leaving a gift to […]
Countdown To The British Wills And Probate Awards 2019
The excitement and anticipation is slowly building, as we’re only 1 month away from the prestigious British Wills and Probate Awards 2019. The sold-out event, which is taking place at the Belfry Hotel and Resort in Birmingham, will crown the cream of the crop in the Wills and Probate sector. We have seen a significant […]
Countrywide Legacy Sponsors Solicitor Firm of the Year
Countrywide Legacy is delighted to be a part of the second upcoming prestigious British Wills and Probate Awards, which is brought to you by Today’s Wills and Probate, alongside headline sponsor, Arken.legal (UK) Ltd, a leader in software solutions for the legal services. Providing innovative bespoke legal document drafting software throughout the UK, Countrywide Legacy […]
Currency Index Webinar Available To Watch
Last week, Today’s Wills and Probate collaborated with foreign exchange specialist, Currency Index, to bring executors within firms an exclusive and enlightening webinar on how they can protect and preserve the value of their clients’ estates substantially. If you missed the webinar, it’s available to view here. Driven mainly by technological innovation, globalisation is firmly […]
Is There An Increase In Attorneys Abusing Their Clients’ Finances?
Figures released recently by the Office of the Public Guardian (England and Wales) (OPG) showed reports of concern at a higher level than ever before, and specifically, more claims than ever before about attorneys abusing their donor’s finances. The reflex conclusion is – there is an increase in the amount of abuse, but is this […]
Robert Sanderson Joins The Practical Vision Network As Managing Director
The Practical Vision Network is proud to announce the appointment of Robert Sanderson, as Managing Director of the Group. The acquisition of Robert undoubtedly strengthens the senior leadership team and highlights the exciting journey the Group is ready to take. Robert started his legal career in the practice area of Wills, Trusts, Tax and Probate […]
