In England and Wales, there are strict rules which decide what should happen with an estate when there is no valid Will in place, or a Will that insufficiently covers all of the estate. The estate is distributed in a fixed order based on the

According to a recent piece of research commissioned by Solicitors for the Elderly, seven out of ten parents across the UK have no legal guardian in place to care for their children in the event of their deaths. The research was carried out ahead of “Update

What is a grant of probate? A Grant of Probate is a grant obtained from the Probate Registry, providing the executors of the deceased's estate the legal power to administer the will in accordance with the deceased's wishes. Once the Grant of Probate has been issued, the

To add to the stress when somebody you love dies, it can be particularly difficult to find out that their Will did not provide enough for you. This could be due to a number of things, including the size of the estate, whether it was

If you re based in the North East of England, particularly in the areas of Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough and Teeside, you'll have undoubtedly seen adverts for Will writing. But why is it essential to write a will? When do I need a Will? We recommend that you create

The Society for Trust & State Practitioners (STEP) have highlighted a recent case where an executor faces 3 months in jail for ignoring their duties and failing to act. The Court has ordered the sentence, citing that the defendant deliberately ignored a court order requiring them

How much does probate cost? The cost for obtaining a Grant of Probate is £273 for all applications, except those where the estate is £5,000 or less, where there is no fee to pay. In addition to this cost, you might choose to request that a professional

What is the nil rate band and how much is it? If you have an inheritance to pass on, you can pass on assets up to the value of the nil rate band without incurring tax. The nil rate band is currently £325,000 and it will

When someone dies, the general rule of thumb is that their estate is passed on to their chosen beneficiaries. A Will should name the beneficiaries and should also name an Executor – a person who the deceased has entrusted to ensure that their wishes are

There has been a change in government legislation, which may have a relevant effect for many Trusts. Previously, the government only required Trusts with tax liabilities to be registered with HMRC. However, more Trusts will now need to register via the Trust Registration Service, irrespective