The recent decision of Walford, R v Worcestershire County Council (2014) – a case which I was involved with at the early stages – has resulted in a daughter succeeding in having the value of her mother’s home disregarded for the calculation of residential care home fees. Under section 22 of the National Assistance Act …
When is the value of your home disregarded for nursing home fees? Read More »
There has been much written about the adequacy of Will writing services around the UK in the last 12 months. As a firm of solicitors authorised and regulated by the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority you can be confident that we will prepare a Will for you which is both in accordance with your wishes and legally …
It’s hard enough as it is coming to terms with the death of a loved one, but the legal formalities can add to the pressures of trying to sort everything out. Whilst there is always the option for executors or next of kin to personally apply for the Grant of Administration without any professional help, …
The government has laid a draft statutory instrument before Parliament providing that conversion of a civil partnership to a same-sex marriage will not revoke, or affect any disposition in, a will made by a party to the civil partnership before the conversion. This fills a significant gap in the consequential provisions relating to the Marriage …
If you are thinking of getting married soon then no doubt you are busy making arrangements for your big day. Aside from the important details of booking the venue, choosing the dress and sorting out the guest list, there is one aspect that commonly gets overlooked – making a Will. If you have a current Will and subsequently get married, then your …
If you become unwell in the future to the extent that you are unable to manage your property and financial affairs, your loved ones may need to go to Court to get the authority that they need to help you. That is, unless you have a Lasting Power of Attorney in place. If you are …
What happens to my money and property if I get Dementia? Read More »
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, one in ten will soon be paying inheritance tax (IHT). This means that there will be less in the pot to pass to your loved ones. Although there was a decline in numbers of people paying IHT after the government’s 2007 introduction of the transferable nil rate band*, …
If a loved one is getting to the stage where he or she is having difficulty managing their affairs, it is important to make sure that they have measures in place to enable a family member, friend or professional to help them should the need arise. Perhaps they already have an Enduring or Lasting Power …
My aunt is becoming increasingly unable to manage her affairs, what can we do? Read More »
A lot of clients ask me whether they are obliged to provide for their children in their Wills. The reasons for not wishing to do so are vast and could be because of a fall-out, because a child has an addition to drink or drugs that would be exacerbated by receiving an inheritance or it …
Do I have to provide for my children in my Will? Read More »
This article first appeared in Law Plain & Simple on 24 February 2014 What is inheritance tax? Inheritance tax (IHT) is a tax paid on your death based on the value of what you own at the date of your death. Everything that you own is collectively called your ‘estate’. This includes your house, your …
