Legacy Advice and Information

Coronavirus - a message from the heart

The impact of the Coronavirus crisis is really beginning to bite. This is my pledge to help if you're worried and feel the need to quickly have your affairs in order.

Video Blog - How to Protect your House from Care Fees

This is the biggest issue for more mature parents whose kids have flown the nest - how can we save the kids' inheritance from being wiped out by care fees?

Video Blog: How to Pay for a Funeral Without Going Into Debt

It's a terrible time when you've just been bereaved, and the last thing you need is practical worries about paying for the funeral.

A Scary Story!  Video Blog

My video explaining how a simple keystroke error almost cost someone their £100k+ inheritance … and what easy action you can take to safeguard yourself against such a thing happening to you.

Older Childless People “Dangerously Unsupported”

More than a million childless people aged 65 or above are living with dangerously inadequate levels of support, suffering isolation and lack of access to formal care - and that number is expected to double by 2030.

Taking the Long View

You need to make an estate plan to truly future-proof your family. Here's why, and how to go about it.

Brexit Turmoil Delivers Reprieve for Bereaved Families

At last, a tiny bright spot amongst the relentless Brexit related misery.

£110,000 for seven years of care

A court has awarded £110,000 to a granddaughter who provided devoted live-in care for her grandmother for seven years.

What to Do When a Loved One Passes Away

When you lose someone, the last thing you want is to think about the practicalities, but there are some essential steps you must take to safeguard the estate and ensure that it is passed down as smoothly as possible.

Estate Planning Essentials for Same-Sex Couples

How to avoid the four most common estate planning pitfalls that can affect same-sex couples.

D’Oh! Five Ways to Seriously Mess Up Your Estate Plan

If financial security and peace of mind for your nearest and dearest is your priority, it’s essential that you maintain a valid and up to date estate plan.

Talking About Estate Planning with your Parents

Have your Mum & Dad made their estate plan yet? Should you be concerned?

What About Your Digital legacy?

How to plan for what will happen to all your online accounts after you’ve gone.

Don’t let your business get clobbered!

It’s your responsibility to safeguard your business. Here’s how to do it in three easy steps.

Cost of Care Rises by 10% in Just One Year

The cost of a place in a care home is rising at its fastest rate ever, while pension incomes have little hope of keeping pace.

Hats off to the “Parentsioners”!

Look around, and you’ll notice you're surrounded by people who quietly go about their daily business of achieving seemingly impossible feats of hard work and organisation. You might be looking at just such a person in the mirror.

Contested Will Saga Ends in Prison Sentence

A retired window cleaner, who was left £280,000 in the will of a customer, was jailed for failing to hand back the money when ordered.

Will Inheritance Tax be Simplified?

The Office for Tax Simplification is reviewing the complex Inheritance Tax system. Does this mean there will there be less tax to pay?

Daughters try to block father’s marriage

Court of Protection forced to decide whether daughters can lawfully block their father’s marriage to his partner of 20 years.

Three Brothers in Court Battle Over their Mother’s Legacy

The three Heath brothers have already incurred £50,000 in court costs because they didn't have the awkward family conversation about inheritance.

We Need to Talk About Inheritance

With inherited wealth set to double in the next 20 years, it’s time to get over the awkwardness and have the conversation now.

Inheritance Tax Bonanza for HMRC

A 23% spike in Inheritance Tax receipts is being blamed on frozen allowances, rising house prices and more aggressive tax collection.

Dementia Tax – Some Good News?

Cautious optimism as Health Secretary vows to bring forward plans to make paying for care fairer.

The Tragic Case of “Mr Y”

52-year-old "Mr Y" is being kept alive in a coma while the Official Solicitor defends legal principles.

Can the Government be Trusted on the Dementia Tax?

Little has been said about the cost of care since the 2017 Dementia Tax controversy. But the few hints dropped by the government have both insulted and threatened parents of adult children.

Power of Attorney Refunds Available

If you paid £110 to register your Lasting Power of Attorney between 1st April 2013 and 31st March 2017, you are entitled to a refund of up to £54.

Case Study: Jim and Jean’s Story

Jim and Jean have two grown-up children with complex disabilities. Here’s how their estate plan met their needs.

The £50million Final Salary Pension Transfer Boom

Here’s why so many savers are moving away from their final salary pension schemes? And why your pension capital should be a key consideration in your estate plan.

Just how risky are Lasting Powers of Attorney?

An invaluable tool? Or a passport to financial abuse?

Sheila Kitzinger’s Good Death

Sheila Kitzinger, a passionate advocate for the rights of expectant mothers, pioneered the use of birth plans. And she brought the same control and empowerment to planning her own final days.

We’re Not Getting Any Older

Life expectancy at age 64 has all but ground to halt, due to the austerity years and a surge in dementia. What can you do for yourself while we wait for a cure?

Lynda Bellingham’s Sons Betrayed, as Feared

The late Lynda Bellingham’s lack of a proper estate plan risked leaving her sons with nothing – now her widower has done exactly what she least wanted him to do.

Probate: What’s it all about?

If you are dealing for the first time with the estate of someone who has died, you must quickly get to grips with some probably unfamiliar concepts. This is a short introduction to the issues you may have to deal with.

Redefining old age?

Seismic demographic changes mean we must re-think what it means to be “old”, says one of the UK’s leading social scientists.

Case Study: Ray & Joyce

How this retired couple made sure most of their main asset would be inherited by their children – and not the council.

Business Property Relief

If you are a business owner, it’s likely that your business is one of your main assets. You may want to pass your business to the next generation as a going concern, or you may want your dependants to benefit from the value of the business after you’ve gone.

Seven Inheritance Tax Tips for Buy to Let Investors

If you’ve invested in buy-to-let, you’ve probably done so with the intention of creating a steady income for yourself, together with capital to hand on to the next generation when you’re gone. But unfortunately, wealth tied up in residential lettings often comes with a significant Inheritance Tax burden.

The Residence Nil Rate Band

A guide to making the most of the new Inheritance Tax allowance.

Case Study: Tony and Diane’s Story

How Tony and Diane secured an Inheritance-Tax-free legacy for their daughter and planned a secure retirement for themselves.

What’s all this fuss about The Dementia Tax?

It’s odd that there has been so much vociferous debate about “the dementia tax”, as if this is an outrageous new concept proposed by a rapacious government. The truth is that people with dementia have been robbed of their legacy for decades to pay for their care.

Separating Elderly Couples in Care is Inhumane

It's scary that Social Care leaders actually had to be told at a recent conference that separating elderly couples in care is inhumane.

Inheritance Tax Planning with Enterprise Investment Schemes

Not keen on the government gate-crashing your funeral to demand yet more tax? An Enterprise Investment Scheme may be a useful addition to your estate planning toolkit.

Sons’ Inheritance Blown on Legal Fees

Two brothers have wasted their entire inheritance on a doomed court battle to contest their late father’s will.

Helping your Parents to Cope

The Guardian newspaper recently published a helpful group discussion, in which readers shared their own experiences of what has worked for them in offering a helping hand when a parent is finding it all too much.

The Supreme Court’s Decision in Heather Ilott’s case.

The 2015 Court of Appeal Decision in Heather Ilott’s case has been overturned. The Court of Appeal’s 2015 award of £163,000 has been reduced to £50,000.

Charitable Legacies - a Win-Win

Leaving a charitable legacy in your Will makes you feel good AND gets you an Inheritance Tax discount – what’s not to love?

Our friend died without saying she’d left us £110k

The rate at which estates go unclaimed has risen two and a half times in the last five years, according to government figures recently released.

Who gets the kids if something happens to us?

It’s a horrible thought, isn’t it? Nobody wants to imagine their beloved child being orphaned, but thinking about the unthinkable, and making proper plans, is a vital parental responsibility.

Is Your Child’s Inheritance Divorce-Proof?

Doreen Crowther may lose her house because her inheritance wasn't divorce-proofed.

Planning for the Cost of Care

Will poor health in later life put your home at risk?

Status Quo Rocker Rick Parfitt Disinherited his Wife

The late Status Quo star Rick Parfitt disinherited his wife in the final days before he died, it has emerged. But all is not as it seems.

My Health Scare - and why I’m so glad I made an Estate Plan

My New Year was overshadowed by a major health scare – but my estate plan assured me that, whatever might happen, my clients and loved ones are protected

Your New Year’s Resolution?

If you haven't made your will yet, you risk leaving a mess behind for the people you love.

George Michael’s Estate Plan

Much missed pop legend provides for his sisters, god-children and favourite charities in his Will

Our 2017 Continuing Professional Development Programme

Our 2017 Estate Planning Training Programme for Accountants and Financial Services Professionals

How a £2000 Inheritance Transformed 40,000 lives

Vashti Seth started a charity with a legacy from her dad

The £72million House Heist

Councils’ £72million raid on older people’s houses to pay for care

Royle Family’s Caroline Aherne Accidentally Left Her Mum with a £71,000 Inheritance Tax Bill

Inheritance Tax stress for Caroline Aherne's bereaved Mum

“Get a Job!”: Disinherited Daughter’s Court Battle Ends in Humiliation

Danielle Ames loses her fight with her stepmother for a share in her late father’s fortune

Danae Brook’s Story: A Blended Family Blighted by Intestacy

How Danae’s husband’s intestacy left this blended family in chaos.

The Truth about Deliberate Deprivation of Capital

Thinking about making a significant gift to your children? Worried that the council might snatch back the gift if you later go into a care home? Here’s what you need to know.

Disinherited Daughter v Stepmother

Disinherited Danielle Ames in Court Battle with her Stepmother over her "Idolised" Late Father's Fortune

Is the Traditional Marriage an Endangered Species?

In a major cultural shift, married couples are now in the minority as most couples choose to cohabit. Is this the beginning of the end for traditional marriage?

Video Blog - Inheritance Tax and You

Will my estate be affected by Inheritance Tax?

The Hurt and Rejection of Daisy Goodwin

It's every parent's responsibility to talk to their children about the legacy they might leave

Trusts to Manage Inheritance Tax – One Rule for The Duke of Westminster and One for the Rest of Us?

The toxic urban myth that Inheritance Tax is for "the little people".

Toby Wales’s Story

The power of wills to transform lives for the better.

Heartache and Chaos from a Lost Will

Alison Shields tells of the distressing consequences of her father's lost will.

Father’s fear of making a will left his young daughter penniless

How Katy Young was accidentally disinherited by her father's fear of making a will.

Property tycoon sued beyond the grave.

Ex-civil partner of deceased millionairess in court bid for larger settlement

Stepfamilies & Blended Families Estate and Legacy Planning

A video guide for people who have stepfamilies or blended families

Frugal Bachelor Leaves Surprise Legacy of £1.5million to his Local Hospital

Heartwarming Generosity of Peter Gibbons

Case Study - How Dervla’s Inheritance Tax Planning Saved £120k

In today’s climate, “fail to plan” means “plan to pay lots of Inheritance Tax”

Video Blog - Estate Planning Tips for Business Owners

A Video Guide to Keeping your Business Resilient

Angela Rippon – a Happy Singleton Putting her Affairs in Order

In advance of the BBC documentary "The Truth About Dementia", Angela Rippon shares her concerns.

“Do Not Resuscitate” – Could this Happen to You Without your Consent?

The NHS knows that it's happening - and why it's happening - but won't be doing anything about it anytime soon. Here's how to protect yourself and your family.

The 8 Vital Questions You Should Answer Before You Make a Will or Estate Plan

How to choose an estate plan that's fit for purpose and within your budget

Estate Planning Tips for Happy Singletons

This is an estate planning guide for single people - what you, as a happy singleton, can do to plan a secure future and a meaningful legacy.

Oxo Mum’s Family Torn Asunder by a Badly Made Will

How poor estate planning has left the late Loose Women star’s sons powerless – and possibly penniless.

Case Study - Bill and Anne, Buy to Let Investors

How we helped a couple ensure a secure future for theselves, their family and their buy to let portfolio

Estate Planning Considerations for Buy to Let Investors

This is the first in a two-part series that looks at the estate planning concerns of buy to let investors - and some of the many available solutions.

Come Live with Me and Be my Love ....

Five practical tips for living together securely

Colin and Eleanor’s Story - Peace of Mind for Four Generations

This is the story of Colin and Eleanor, great-grandparents who wanted the peace of mind of knowing their assets were protected for the four generations of their family, and that their own personal wishes were respected no matter what

Soaring Probate Fees - a Stealth Tax

The Ministry of Justice has announced a fee scale that increases the cost of probate by up to 130 times the present fee. Here are some ways of managing the cost of leaving a legacy for your family, so their inheritance is maximised.

Joy Williams’ Legal Battle - And Her Lessons for Couples Living Together

Joy Williams has won an exhausting, four-year court battle to save her home – but it could all have been avoided

How a £90 Will Cost a Daughter Half a House

Ebenezer Aregbesola used a low-cost will-writing service to prepare his will - consequently a crucial loophole was missed, which robbed his daughter of her inheritance.

Making Your Child’s Inheritance Divorce-Proof

Marriage isn't always forever - is there a way to protect your child's inheritance from the consequences of a divorce?

How A Blunder Over Geography Led to a High Court Battle Over a Scientist’s Will.

A High Court battle between The Royal Society and an eminent scientist's family centred on the meaning of the phrase "United Kingdom".

Twice the Maternal love, but Twice the Inheritance Tax Burden

The Utley family have shared in the national press their heart-warming story of sisterly devotion, and their worries about the way a wholly unexpected turn of events has placed them in a dilemma they’re unsure how to solve. Here are some potential solutions.

Guest Blog - Building a Secure Future with ISA’s

This guest blog is brought to you by Neil Ridpath, an Independent Financial Advisor with Neil J Ridpath Wealth Management Limited. A fundamental part of planning for yours and your family’s financial security is making the most of your assets. Here, Neil tells us about Individual Savings Accounts, and why they are such a useful tool for getting the best return form your hard-earned savings.

Standing Up for the “Mustn’t Grumble” Generation.

Recent reports suggest that older people are getting a raw deal in many aspects of life, because they generally don't like to complain. How can we make sure older people receive the great service they deserve?

Seize the Day! Overcoming Procrastination about Protecting your Legacy

How to overcome the impulse to put off important decision, like protecting your legacy.

Self employed? Here’s how to safeguard your business and your family

If you're self-employed, your business can be your greatest asset and your greatest responsibility - here's how to keep it safe. come what may

“Inheritance Tax is too toxic to save”, says The Fabian Society

The Nation is almost unanimously opposed to Inheritance Tax - but abolition is unlikely so we must fight back in other ways.

Advance Care Planning - Staring Into the Abyss or Taking Back Control?

Considering an Advance Directive takes some courage - but brings peace of mind for you and your family.

Don’t Mind the Council Inheriting your House? Then Go Ahead and Make Basic Mirror Wills

The potential price of making simple mirror wills.

Why leaving your estate to your other half can be a terrible mistake

The risks in making straightforward Mirror Wills.

The Sad Story of Mr and Mrs Henein - Husband Left Homeless by Lack of Proper Planning

Why it's so important to talk to each other about the future.

Back to Basics - Why Make a Will?

Why you should make a will, and why it should be up to date.