Digital assets have a very broad definition but essentially it means an electronic record in which an individual has a right or an interest. The digital asset should be treated separately from the device on which it sits, so for example you may leave your computer to your son, but the family photos stored on…
Traditionally some of the main things to consider when someone has died are whether there is a valid Will, what assets the deceased owned and who is going to inherit after the administration of the estate had been completed. However, as technology continues to advance and social media becomes a way of life there are…
Most challenges to wills which become headline news follow the theme of children who have been left less than they expected by their parent(s), or sometimes nothing at all. What is much less commonly reported is when a charity is the entity challenging or defending a contested probate. But it happens, its frequency is on…
Read the full post here: COVID-19: What to Do When Someone Dies – Three things you need to know
Most people will be aware that if Inheritance Tax is payable in an estate, then the Executors have to arrange payment. However, not everybody appreciates that an Executor is personally liable to pay the Inheritance Tax in an estate. HMRC require the Executors, or Administrators, of an estate to report accurately, all the assets and…
“Live as though you will die tomorrow, but farm as though you will live forever.” – John Marsden “…But always remember that you might not.” – Martin Reynolds Readers are (or should be) already familiar with me urging owners and directors of companies to consider creating Lasting Powers of Attorney so that the continued running…
If you have lost someone close to you during this pandemic then, like me, you may find it particularly difficult hearing the statistics on the news about the number of deaths from COVID-19 and the number of new cases. To us, it has nothing to do with numbers, and everything to do with losing that…
Strict rules have been in place surrounding signing and witnessing Wills in England and Wales, since 1837, primarily to protect the vulnerable and to prevent fraudulent Wills. The legislation in the Wills Act 1837 stipulates that a valid Will must be signed by the person making the Will, and their signature must be witnessed by…
In the latest of our contentious probate newsletter articles we discuss grants of probate (“grants”) and caveats. It is wrongly assumed that a grant cannot be issued where a caveat is in place. Although rare, there are actually a couple of limited scenarios whereby a grant can be issued. The types of grant which can…
This is a term which people often use very loosely, and often think is very easy to do: but changing a name on the title deeds is something which should be approached with extreme caution. The issue usually arises after someone has passed away; but often, during their lifetime, the owner of a property or…
