The Rules of Intestacy are Changing

The Rules of Intestacy are changing

The Lord Chancellor has announced a change to what we sometime call the Rules of Intestacy. Dying intestate means that you have died without a Will. Currently, if you die without a Will, and you have children, under the Rules of Intestacy your spouse or Civil Partner gets the following:   All your personal belongings…

Continue Reading →

New Death Tax doesn’t need approval of MPs

Change of Inheritance Tax rules likely

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…

Continue Reading →

One thing to do before you die (and it’s not making a Will)

Being a Will Writer Part of what makes my job as a writer of Wills so wonderful is getting to know my clients. We have no clocks in our meetings, sorting out your Will will take as long as it takes because we charge fixed fees. By taking the time to hear what makes people…

Continue Reading →

How to protect your estate from greedy family members

The blog below was originally written by Patti S. Smith, Attorney for Spencer Law Firm in Lancaster, PA in the USA. What really struck me is how many similarities there are with our legal sysytems and that all of the solutions apply to clients in England and Wales. With many thanks to Patti, I hope…

Continue Reading →