New Death Tax doesn’t need approval of MPs
A new tax? The substantial increase in probate fees announced yesterday is unusual in that it didn’t need Parliament to vote on it. Instead, The Fourteenth Delegated Legislation Committee voted on the new proposals surely you’ve heard of them). The new rules squeaked in with the vote being 9 to 8 in favour. So can…
Somebody really Important died yesterday
Over 1500 people died on Saturday in England, including a fan at the Leicester football match. If you lost somebody yesterday, there probably won’t be thousands of bunches of flowers laid outside your house. No headlines on TV. People who didn’t know your loved one won’t be crying in the street. But the person that…
Universal Wealth Management
Universal Wealth Management / Universal Asset Protection News: The above Ipswich based company, which you may know by any of these names but more commonly Universal Wealth Management, is currently in liquidation. The BBC has reported that the company is being investigated by the Police. There are worries that many people have set up trusts with…
Let’s not start Civil Partnering just yet
This week a The Supreme Court ruled in favour of Rebecca Steinfeld, 37, and Charles Keidan, 41, from London. The couple were bidding for the right to become Civil Partners instead of having to get married. Currently, the Civil Partnership Act 2004 only applies to same-sex couples who are not closely related. So will the…
What happens at a Will review?
We suggest that most people should review their Wills at least every 5 years. If there has been a change in your financial or family circumstances we recommend that you review your Will immediately. You may have received a call from us asking if you would like a review meeting and perhaps you are wondering what…
Why Executors may be in for a nasty shock
What are the dangers of acting as an Executor? Most people are not aware that acting as an Executor of a Will carries with it many personal liabilities. For example, if you’ve distributed all the money and then a creditor or long lost relative comes forward, you can be personally liable to pay the debts.…
Making Will Writing Part of your Financial Practice (CPD available)
We have partnered with IFAs, mortgage brokers and accountants for the last 13 years. We believe we understand their needs, and how Wills and Estate Planning can help them grow their businesses. We have also helped many of them incorporate Will writing into their businesses while providing CPD at the same time. Our Training (eligible…
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…