News: Statutory Legacy amount to be increased this month

18.07.23

The Government has announced a change to how an estate is divided should somebody die without a Will. Currently, if a married person (or person in a Civil Partnership) dies without a Will, the law states that the first £270,000 (known as the Statutory Legacy) passes to the surviving spouse,…


How to keep the peace in families when someone dies

11.07.23

Following on from part four of our series on practical tips for Estate Administration, this blog discusses some steps Personal Representatives can take to ensure the smooth administration of an estate where matters are complicated by family disputes or possible claims on the estate. Losing a loved one is an emotional time and…


Unmarried couples – some points to consider when planning for the future

06.05.21

Deciding whether to get married, or enter into a civil partnership, is a big decision and aside the emotional side of things, couples need to consider a number of more ‘practical’ factors that are relevant to them. We know that the number of couples getting married has declined and more…


Review regularly – keeping essential documents up to date

30.03.20

At the time of writing, the Covid-19 pandemic is causing enormous amounts of uncertainty both socially and economically. Whilst everyone is, quite rightly, concerned with keeping safe and healthy (and many navigating tricky financial waters), there are some simple things people might like to think about during this time. Keeping…


Digital Assets

26.11.19

As we move to a more tech-focused society, the majority of people will have a number of digital assets that will need to be taken into consideration when they die. In terms of the law, this is still a developing area that has not been updated in line with the…


What is a Personal Injury Trust?

19.02.19

By Katherine Miller A trust is an arrangement where assets are transferred to a small group of people for them to hold for the benefit of others. A personal injury trust is any trust that holds money or assets that came from an award of damages or compensation for any…


Would your business survive without you? – Business Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)

15.08.18

If you are the owner of a business, thinking about whether your business could survive without you may not be something you have considered before.  However, being absent from the workplace can often cause operational problems and threaten the future of the company and yet, in our experience, business owners…


What is Deprivation of Liberty?

18.12.17

In our previous blog, we discussed the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the issue of decision making on behalf of someone who may lack mental capacity to make decisions for themselves. Some of the biggest decisions that need to be made concern where a person lives, how they are…


How do I set up a Disabled Person’s Trust?

22.11.17

In previous blogs we have covered what a Disabled Person’s Trust is, how it can be used to benefit a disabled person and the advantages and disadvantages of this type of trust. A Disabled Person’s Trust (which some people may refer to as a ‘disabilities trust’) to recap, can only…


Staying Close –  A healthy, happy relationship with your partner

15.11.17

As part of our ongoing aim to support families in all areas of their lives, we’ve invited Family Therapists Kim Crewe and Lorraine Gillingham of The Crescent Practice to share her thoughts on maintaining healthy relationships.   Are you too emotionally and physically drained at the end of the day…