Coming to terms with the death of your spouse or partner will take time, but at some point you will need to think about financial and legal issues. Once probate has been obtained and their estate has been settled, you may need to think about whether you should make a will – or amend any …
In this day and age there are various different types of funerals which people do need to consider carefully and leave instructions for their family. Once a person has died if no instructions have been left then it falls on the immediate family to make the decision or if there is nobody close then it …
Everyone should have lasting power of attorney, along with a will, and in setting this up you will need to appoint people to act as your attorney to look after your affairs if you become unable to. You need to consider very carefully who you will choose to be your attorney, as they will be …
It can be flattering to be asked by a relative or close friend to be a trustee of their estate, but this is a role with important legal obligations and disputes can arise when beneficiaries do not agree with the actions of trustees. One such area of potential disagreement is the amount of information that …
In 2018, according to Forbes, the top ten YouTube stars were earning between $14.5 and $22 million. The top earner was a seven-year old boy named Ryan who reviewed toys for other children. While most of us are not in that league, many people now have a wide variety of online accounts which create a …
When someone dies, all the assets in the estate will need to be valued as early possible for two key reasons. Firstly, an estate valuation must be provided to the probate court before probate will be granted. Secondly, any inheritance tax (IHT) due will need to be calculated and a payment made. In simple terms, …
Without a valid will that says otherwise, your spouse may inherit most if not all of your assets on your death and any children you have from previous marriages could be left with little or nothing. This is why more and more cases are being brought before the courts by children who have not been …
Dealing with an LPA? They’ve got some bad press recently. Allow us to shed some light on what can be a murky legal area. Lasting Powers of Attorney The press has recently been riddled with various horror stories on the topic of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) and their misuse. Families torn apart by overriding …
It’s a tricky but important topic. Have you given the tax implications for your inheritance enough attention? Deborah Adams, Director of Private Client Services at Parnalls Solicitors, explains what you need to think about when planning for your inheritance if you wish to minimise your tax bill (and we assume you do!). Inheritance tax: what …
A Health & Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows you to appoint people you trust to make decisions about health treatments and personal care for you if you lose the mental capacity to make such decisions for yourself. This document explains how this document gives your healthcare attorney the power …
