Last year we discussed generally what happens to your digital accounts when you die: you can read the article here. We now report on updates during the last year. Apple Users On 13 December 2021, during the release of its iOS 15.2 update, Apple officially released its Digital Legacy feature, which lets people choose the specific people…
As a Private Client Solicitor, I am often asked by clients, usually within a Will meeting, “what is Probate?” Probate is defined as a judicial process whereby a Will is proved through the Courts; this, as one might expect, is not an overly helpful or clear explanation to give to clients! Generally speaking, Probate is…
We are receiving increased enquiries where a loved one has passed away overseas, for example, ex pats who spent the later years of their lives in Spain or Portugal. We are also receiving similar enquiries from the children of immigrant workers who have spent the last years of their lives working in the UK. In…
When a loved one passes away, we often receive telephone calls from family members who simply do not know where to start. Often families feel that there must be a million and one tasks to be getting on with and they are not sure which to prioritise, and which can be left on the back…
By acting as an Executor you take on a key responsibility to protect the estate of the deceased. In many cases the substantial asset of the deceased is the former family home so you must act quickly to protect the asset. What are the steps you should take if the property is unoccupied? You should…
Among the Private Client team, clients often ask us whether putting their home into the names of their adult children would be a good idea. This is usually due to concerns about the costs of care as they become elderly, or perhaps fears that their home would have to be sold to pay Inheritance Tax…
Who will pay for litigation and how much it will cost are two of the most frequently asked questions by clients. A common response is that “it depends”. Below I explore that answer. Before court proceedings commence Each party bears their own costs and generally you cannot recover your costs from the other party. The…
For those who have had to undertake the task of obtaining a Grant of Probate recently, you may have noticed that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic seems to be affecting turnaround times on various key parts of the process, right from the start with the “Tell Us Once” government service, all the way through to the…
At the start of September 2020, the Private Client department expanded with Charlotte Corcoran qualifying from Trainee Solicitor to Solicitor. Having qualified, Charlotte joined the Private Client team to work alongside Hilary Buckle, Vanessa Ruparel and Juliette Spanner on various matters including Wills, Probates, Trusts and Lasting Powers of Attorney. Charlotte has a growing interest…
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…
