Probate Fees Amendments Reviewed By Parliament
The fourteenth Delegated Legislation Committee are sitting today to consider the case for the statutory instrument that will change the current non-contentious probate fees from a fixed amount to a sliding scale. Whilst the Lords, various charitable organisations and The Law Society stand united in their opposition of the proposed fee amendments, it is likely […]
Clive Ponder Discusses Industry Events, Sponsorship, And Electronic LPA Signatures
Delegates who recently attended Today’s Wills and Probate round table were made up of an expert array of legal firms and professional organisations from the sector seeking to tackle relevant and contemporary issues as well as potential challenges that lie ahead. Among the attendees who contributed to the success of the round table were Countrywide […]
OPG Launch New Public Online LPA Search Facility
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has issued a practice note providing information on a new online facility for members of the public to search its registers to find out if a person in England or Wales has an attorney or court-appointed deputy acting for them. The practice note, PN11, highlights that the Public […]
The Nation’s Naivety Around Lasting Power Of Attorney
Millions of adults are under the impression that, if they were to lose capacity, their loved ones would have the immediate right to make decisions regarding their life, whether they be medical or financial. The research, by Direct Line Life Insurance, has revealed that 80% of British adults believe that the person they assume will […]
Expert Updates On New Online Probate Service Pilot
Ian Bond, Chair of The Law Society’s ‘Wills and Equity Committee’ and Director and Head of Trusts and Estates at Talbots Law, had a productive meeting with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) recently regarding the pilots of new online probate services for personal and professional applicants. The trial of HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) […]
HMCTS Announce New System Which Alerts Charities To Will Bequests
HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is implementing a new system, which alerts charities when money has been bequeathed, after ending their current arrangement. The reason behind terminating HMCTS’ current scheme with private firm, Smee and Ford, which has provided a paid-for notification service to participating charities for many years, was because “it is not […]
A Question of Succession
I recently attended the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Compliance Officers conference at the ICC in Birmingham and in one of the breakout sessions “Succession Planning” was hotly debated. In recent years the question of succession planning and run-off insurance is being asked of me more and more, particularly by law firms in the four partner […]
Older Borrowers Brings A Suite Of Retirement Interest Only Mortgages
Leeds Building Society has officially launched their suite of ten-year retirement interest-only (RIO) mortgages and made some criteria changes to provide greater flexibility to senior borrowers. The new products include a free standard valuation and a £999 product fee. To meet the product criteria, customers will need to be aged between 55-80 when applying and […]
Inheritance Tax Payments On The Rise – £5 Billion Paid In 2018
According to the most recent statistics by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Inheritance Tax (IHT) receipts hit a record high of £5.2 billion in 2018. This is an increase of £400 million on the figures from a year earlier. Receipts for the six month period between April and December found that the IHT paid was […]
Digital Meets Probate
Online Probate application service launches across England & Wales Finally, the antiquated cogs of HM courts seem to be edging gently towards the 21st Century this month with the launch of a digital service allowing people to apply for a “grant of probate” online. What is a grant of probate? Obtaining a “grant of probate” means […]
Lifetime Trusts & Gifting – including the new CTTC Ltd Gift Trust!
Supermen Webinar 50: Lifetime Trusts & Gifting “Every client needs a hero, make sure it’s YOU by watching our webinar!” What’s on the Agenda? The New CTTC Ltd (Countrywide) Gift Trust Your clients can now gift as much as they want to the Countrywide Family Gift Trust without triggering a trust entry charge, periodic charge […]
Working Confidently And Professionally With Vulnerable Clients
Far too often the Wills and Estate Planning profession is blighted by unscrupulous individuals choosing to exploit society’s most vulnerable people. Instead of offering these people the additional help and support they need, some have seized the opportunity to take advantage of the situation. 2019 started with the news that a solicitor, working in Wills […]
Guardianship Act Could Ease Grief Of Missing Persons’ Families
Whilst flying back to France from Cardiff having just completed a big money move to Cardiff City, the Argentinian striker Emiliano Sala’s plane went missing off the Guernsey coast on Monday 22nd January. Since that time, Emiliano Sala and his pilot, David Ibbotson, have been presumed dead. Whilst two of the plane’s seat cushions are […]
£34.6 Million Lost To Cyber Criminals In Second Half Of 2018
The latest figures from Action Fraud have claimed that financial losses caused by cyber crime increased by 25% between the months of April and September. Worryingly, this means that cyber criminals were able to successfully steal £34.6 million during this time. According to the report, 13,357 people in the UK reported cyber crimes during this […]
Email Fraud And Social Media Impersonation Increase By 35%
According to a recent report by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), cyber criminals are adapting to the modern world. Once upon a time, the cyber criminal preferred virus-based attacks through malware or ransomware; now, the ONS have said that these criminals are looking to exploit social media and emails to successfully defraud the public […]
UK and Jersey: what are the differences in probate law?
Probate laws differ between countries within the UK and the crown dependencies (Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man). Individuals dealing with probate in another country will need to familiarise themselves with the relevant laws and regulations. Probate law in Jersey differs in many ways. There are a few variants that need to be noted […]
Avoid The Extreme Weather By Making A Warming First Impression
The extreme weather has only just begun but the cold snap has already outstayed its welcome for many of us in the opening month of 2019. As I was scraping the layers of ice from my car windscreen this morning, I remembered a conversation I had with a local estate agent, new to the area, […]
Roundtable Professionals Enlightens With Evolutions Of Work Goals In 2019
At our recent fruitful Today’s Wills and Probate roundtable on 17th January at ICC International Convention Centre in Birmingham, delegates talked about the biggest challenges and opportunities in the coming year. Creator and host of Today’s Wills and Probate roundtable event, Karen Babington, asked the attendees what worked last year for their business and whether […]
Beneficiaries Of Murdered Boston Mobster Sue Federal Government
Notorious Boston gangster, James ‘Whitey’ Bulger, who ran the Boston crime scene in the 1970s and 80s, was murdered on October 30th last year. Bulger’s sister and two brothers, including William M Bulger, a well-respected attorney that was once President of the Massachusetts state Senate, have declared themselves as his official beneficiaries despite the estate […]
Growing Concern Over Solicitors Mental Health And Wellbeing
Legal mental health charity, LawCare has reported receiving their highest ever number of helpline calls from solicitors in 2018. An even more worrying statistic from the charity has revealed calls from solicitors complaining about bullying and harassment has nearly doubled in 2018. LawCare, a charity that promotes and supports good mental health and wellbeing across […]
