Many lessons have been learnt as a result of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, not least the importance of putting in place an up-to-date Last Will and Testament before it’s too late. Being forced to face one’s own mortality has already prompted thousands of us to [...]
In a world where the unimaginable can and does happen — where sudden illness or injury can leave any one of us mentally incapable of dealing with our own affairs on either a temporary or permanent basis— a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) can provide [...]
Sadly, it’s not uncommon for disputes to arise over arrangements for parents to see their children. However, there are steps that can be taken to resolve any dispute that you have with the parent or guardian with care, ensuring that you’re able to maintain [...]
If you’ve recently separated from your spouse or civil partner you may be considering divorce or dissolution of your civil partnership. However, for some couples, they may not want to divorce/ dissolve the civil partnership but do still require the Court to be able to [...]
If you’re acting as an executor of a deceased’s estate, an important part of your responsibilities will be to value any assets that form part of that estate for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes. Whether or not there’s IHT to pay, this will affect how you [...]
If you’ve been informed that a loved one no longer has mental capacity, perhaps following an unexpected illness or injury, this can be an emotionally fraught time where important decisions may need to be made about either their immediate or long-term care. By understanding what [...]
One of the most effective ways in which you can reduce the amount of tax to be paid by your estate after you die is by giving away cash or assets during your own lifetime. The effect of such gifts can be to remove their [...]
Being responsible for administering the estate of a loved one after they’ve died is no easy task, and not without risk, not least if they’ve left debts behind. It’s a common misconception that unpaid debts will be automatically written off on a person’s death, [...]
Being able to appoint a person to make important decisions on your behalf in the event of illness or accident can give you and your loved ones peace of mind for the future. For anyone who has already made provision for this in previous years, [...]
If you have recently separated, or are contemplating separating, from your spouse you may be concerned about the division of marital assets especially if you’ve inherited money or property during the course of the marriage, or are likely to do so prior to getting divorced. [...]