Scottish Government Launch Consultation On Archaic Succession Laws
Following concerns that succession laws in Scotland are overly archaic, failing to reflect modern society, the SNP government have triggered a public consultation in a bid to ensure that laws regarding succession are modernised, creating a fairer system for all. Consultation point 4.3 focuses on the role of executors and references the case involving the […]
Landmark Case Could Make Access To Digital Assets Easier
The true ownership of digital assets have been difficult to ascertain but a recent case in the USA may have provided some clarity on what a person owns in the digital realm. In the case of re Scandalios (2017-2976/A N.Y. Surr. Ct. 2019), electronic and digital titans, Apple, have been ordered to allow a grieving husband […]
Mental Capacity Amendment Bill Ping Ponging Through Parliament
Having progressed through 5 stages at the House of Lords and 5 stages in Parliament, The Metal Capacity (Amendment) Bill [HL] 2017-19 has been pinged back to the Commons with two proposed amendments from the House of Lords yesterday following their latest consideration of amendments. Most notably, Baroness Tyler of Enfield felt the government’s statutory […]
New Build Homes Should Reflect The Needs Of Ageing Population
72% of the population believe that new homes should be built so that they are accessible for all ages and abilities. Basic requirements for older home owners should be considered by construction companies, especially as the population continues to age and those over the age of 65-years become an increasingly larger percentage of the population. […]
Are Law Firms Becoming More Savvy with Scams?
As law firms and clients wise up to fraud, the cyber criminals are having to find new avenues to use their old scamming tricks to intercept money transfers. Conveyancing scams, which are a type of email modification fraud, are rife due to the significant amount of money passing between a law firm and its client. […]
Memories Locked Within Family Home Too Precious To Leave
Whilst many people (20%) over 55-years-old fear that they are worse off than they had anticipated they would be at their particular stage in life, the majority (62%) have no interest in downsizing. According to the Sunlife Home Sentiment Report, over half (55%) of the 1,000 respondents, all of which were over 50-years-old, are so […]
Will Disputes And Inheritance Feuds Continue To Increase
A recent report has found that the number of Wills and probate disputes making their way to HM Courts and Tribunals system increased by 6% in 2018. The research, carried out by Direct Line Life Insurance, also highlighted that HM Courts and Tribunals received 8,159 caveats to block or amend a grant of probate. As […]
Changes To Wills Notification Service Could Affect Charitable Spend
At the end of January, the Government announced it was to terminate its contract with Smee & Ford, the company that notifies charities of gifts left to them in Wills. This service is invaluable to our members, who rely on it to notify them of any bequests and use the service to help with forecasting […]
Professionals Update On HMCTS’ New Service For Charitable Bequests
Charity representatives are pleased the Government have recognised the service’s importance and fully support HMCTS’ decision to replace the system which will alert charities to donations in Wills. Key professionals from the charity sector are convening to discuss the new service following an open letter to charities from Susan Acland-Hood, HMCTS chief executive inviting them […]
Protecting Estate Funds With Consumer Bank Account Checker
When sending money to beneficiaries under an estate, can you be sure whose account you’re sending those funds to? Unfortunately, for many legal firms, the answer is no. The vast majority of firms do have a tried and tested due diligence process, but what these processes often don’t account for is the level of sophistication […]
The British Wills And Probate Awards Are Returning!
Following the success of the inaugural event last year, Today’s Wills and Probate are thrilled to announce that the British Wills and Probate Awards 2019 will take place on 17th October at the prestigious Belfry Hotel and Resort in Birmingham. We are also delighted that Arken.legal (UK) Ltd, a leader in software solutions for the legal […]
Should Will Writing Be Digital?
Following from the latest news regarding Probates going online – should the formation of Will’s now be digital as well, as part of the ongoing digitalisation of the legal sector? It may be ironic to suggest that Will’s should be digital, given that the majority of people in elderly age who are the most likely […]
Larke v Nugus Requests Are Very Often Used As A “Fishing Expedition” And They Are On The Rise…
It’s becoming increasingly frequent for disappointed beneficiaries or disgruntled family members to approach a solicitor to try and contest a Will, despite whether there are grounds for an enquiry or not. Anyone can contest a Will, and it is not necessarily an indicator of poor practice. If you haven’t received one yet, it’s only a […]
Remaining Competitive In A Price Sensitive Sector
The Wills, Probate and Estate Planning world has been shocked by a number of recent amendments in the law that will increase a client’s sensitivity to price. Last Saturday, new changes to the price of a death certificate came into force, tripling the cost to the consumer. It will now cost £11 per certificate as […]
Property, Brexit And The Executor
The property market. A subject that most people have an opinion on regardless of their experience of buying or selling. A matter that we see on the news and read in the paper on almost a daily basis. Brexit, another subject that occupies a lot of media attention at the moment. With the scaremongering surrounding […]
Karl Lagerfeld’s Cat Set To Inherit £150 Million
Prolific fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld, who worked for Chanel for over thirty years, has died aged 85, leaving the majority of a fortune worth a reported £150 million to his beloved Persian cat, Choupette. Although the fashion world is mourning the loss of a fashion great, they were not shocked by the news that his […]
£77 Million Worth Of LPA Refund Scheme Still Unclaimed
It has now been over a year since the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) set up a refund scheme for overcharged families that applied for a lasting power of attorney between 2013 and 2017. During this time, it is estimated that around 2 million people were overcharged by £89 million during the application process. […]
Giving Legal Service Providers The Inside Track On Key Fronts
Running a law firm is hard enough, but the working environment for all legal service professionals has changed rapidly over the past year and is only going to continue changing as we approach the Brexit deadline of March 29th. In addition to the usual cash pressures that affect cash-intensive businesses like law firms, a hardening […]
Siblings At War Over Share Of £1.5M Inheritance
Two Sisters are in the middle of a warring legal court battle with their pilot brother over £1.57m family inheritance because they claim their mother was meant to give him less as he is rich already. When their mother, Freda Burgess died aged 90 in 2016, she had signed a Will three years earlier which […]
Carer Steals Leon Brittan’s Brother’s Life Savings
Sir Samuel Brittan, who is the brother of former home secretary Leon Brittan, has been cruelly swindled out of his life’s savings. An arrest warrant has been issued for the conwoman, Michelle Braithwaite, who stole over £115,000 from author Sir Samuel Brittan. While suffering from reduced mental capacity, Braithwaite, who acted as his carer, plundered […]
