Wills Articles

Let's delve into the intriguing stories of celebrities who, despite their immense wealth, either passed away without a will or left behind ambiguous and contentious legal documents. Their legacies often sparked disputes and raised questions about how their fortunes would be handled after their deaths.

Most people accumulate a great deal of ‘stuff’ throughout their lives. Some items are valuable in real monetary terms, while others hold sentimental value. Much of this personal property falls under the definition of ‘personal chattels’.

A lot of documents these days, we are used to having certified copies that can be provided as evidence of the document’s authority, but Wills are special in this way in that it is the original document that must be produced for probate (apart from in some extenuating circumstances discussed later).

Inheritance tax can cost loved ones £100,000s when you die, with it generating £7 billion for HM Revenue & Customs in one recent tax year alone. But in reality the vast majority of people (around 96%) don't have to pay a penny, while the few who do can legally avoid huge swathes of it. This guide runs through five inheritance tax need-to-knows.

2024 has been a pivotal year in the landscape of wills and estate planning. We can reflect on the changes made throughout the year and there have been a number of key developments. This article delves into these developments and their implications.

A survivorship clause is exactly what it sounds like: a clause in a will that makes a gift to a beneficiary conditional upon them surviving the testator by a set period. While these clauses are commonly used in modern wills, it’s clear that many people don’t appreciate the adverse effects they can have on an estate.

There are two ways that a person can make a claim against a deceased’s estate, the first being a claim under the Inheritance Provision for Family and Dependants (IPFD) Act 1975. The second is on grounds of validity.

A client who owns assets outside the UK is affected by the concepts of domicile, immovable property, and movable property. These concepts are key to the operation of English and Welsh private international law and will affect what dispositions can be made in a will governed by the law of England and Wales. We also need to appreciate EU law's effect on succession.

I had just left my chair, and Murphy jumped straight into my spot. I casually said, "Jump in my grave, why don't you? "An innocent phrase used by many of us. It reminded me of current plans for reopening closed burial grounds to address the issue of limited space in urban areas.

These are common questions regarding Wills, Trusts and Powers Of Attorney. All answers are simplified for the article; please get in touch with us directly for a fuller and personalised answer. No content on this website is advice.

Being appointed as an executor is a responsibility at a time where they are grieving the loss of a loved one.

Many people don’t realise the effects getting married or divorced can have on your estate, whether you die with a Will or intestate (without a Will).