Why the taxman likes Death in Service benefits
Many of our clients are worth more dead than alive. We find this fact to be completely unfair. HMRC, who collect Inheritance Tax, might take a different view. Life insurance is the culprit in many cases – the one kind of insurance that you hope never to make a claim on. However, we often overlook…
Holby City Hospital and Lasting Powers of Attorney
BBC1’s Casualty is a little bit like a live training session for our profession. Any series set in a hospital is bound to include scenarios where death or unconsciousness are never far away. The relevance of Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney is often brought home. Last Saturday’s episode was no different, featuring the rather…
Cost of registering an LPA to fall significantly
The Office of the Public Guardian has announced that the cost of registering a Lasting Power of Attorney is to be significantly reduced from 1st April. An LPA allows you to appoint people to make decisions for you if you cannot make them yourself. They can avoid your family having to make a costly…
The new Inheritance Tax rules – It’s Time to Review your Will
What you need to know From April this year some homeowners will be entitle to an additional £100,000 free of Inheritance Tax. As the allowance is transferable between spouses and Civil Partners, this can effectively mean that couples have an allowance £200,000. When added to existing allowances they could leave assets worth up to £850,000…
If your child gets divorced will they lose their inheritance?
Recent research by Investec Investment & Wealth suggests that 30% of adults are unwilling to pass their money on to their children in case they get divorced and the money leaves the family. We have heard people telling us this for many years. With the divorce rate in England at around 42%, it might be…
Silver Lining Wins Award for second year running
We at Silver Lining Estate Planning, are delighted to announce that we’ve been awarded Best Estate Planner – East Anglia in the 2016 AI Magazine Legal Awards. These awards are given to commend outstanding work throughout the legal world during the past 12 months and recognise excellence within specialist areas of the law. Nominated by…
Outrage at proposals to increase Probate Fees
I was sent an link to an article in the Daily Telegraph over the weekend which I thought was a joke at first. There was a story about a proposal to increase the fees which are paid to apply for a Grant of Probate; not very interesting until you see that some estates will pay…
New Training Course – Will writing for Financial Advisors
We have partnered with IFAs, mortgage brokers and accountants for the last 11 years. We believe we understand their needs, and how Wills and Estate Planning can help them grow their businesses. We have now run several successful two day courses specifically for professionals in financial services. The next course is on 8-9th March 2016…
Special offer on Funeral Plans for December only
The latest Sun Life Cost of Dying report has revealed that the cost of a basic funeral has risen for the 12th year in a row and now stands at £3,693, an increase of more than 90% since 2004. With inflation in the general economy at or close to zero, and with interest rates on…
What happens at one of our consultations?
One you have decided to make a Will, we’ll begin our relationship by spending half an hour or so getting to know you and what’s important in your life. There’s no obligation to proceed – and we’ll come to your home at no extra charge. We’ll discuss any assets you have, your family situation and…