Posts Tagged ‘Will Writing’
Video Witnessing of Wills Legalised
The Government has introduced new legislation that is expected to come into force in September 2020 to allow people to sign and have their Wills witnessed by using video calls. It has been highlighted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increasing number of people looking to write Wills, and the difficulties experienced…
Read MoreResidential Nil Rate Band Increase (6 April 2020)
The Residential Nil Rate Band (RNRB) was originally introduced in April 2017 as an additional Inheritance Tax (IHT) allowance, with the aim of allowing families to pass on up to £1m of their estate without IHT becoming payable. The RNRB allowance has been increasing each April, until reaching its maximum allowance claimable at £175,000 per…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between an LPA and a Will?
We are often asked about the difference between a lasting power of attorney (LPA) and a will. In simple terms, it’s a matter of life and death. An LPA is a legal document that allows people you trust to make decisions on your behalf while you are alive. A will only comes into effect after…
Read MoreWho can see my Will?
Many people wrongly believe that their will is a private document viewed only by their chosen executors and their crusty old family solicitor behind a paper-strewn desk in a book-lined office. This may well be the case when the estate is small. But it all changes if a grant of probate is required. Executors must…
Read MoreCan my Will be contested?
Surely what’s mine is mine and I can leave it to whomever I want? Oh nay, nay and thrice nay – as the late, great Frankie Howerd was apt to say. Anyone can contest a will. But it would be up to a court to decide the outcome. A cohabiting partner, missed out in the…
Read MoreHow do I exclude someone from my Will?
Excluding someone from your Will should be relatively straightforward if you live in England or Wales. Unlike many other countries, there is no forced heirship here. But it needs to be done properly. Otherwise claims may be made in court. It’s best to include a clause in your Will specifically naming the person you wish…
Read MoreWhat happens to my Will if I get divorced?
Messy business – divorce. The Office for National Statistics reckons 42% of all marriages end in court. But there is some good news. The 90,871 divorces of opposite-sex couples in 2018 was the lowest since 1971. Still sad, though. So what happens to your Will when the Decree Absolute drops through your letterbox? Funnily enough,…
Read MoreWhat happens to my Will if I get married?
While you may envisage endless years of gazing dreamily into each other’s eyes, there are practicalities around marriage that should be addressed. One that’s often bottom of the to-do list is updating your Will. When you get married, any Will is revoked. Like Monty Python’s parrot, it is no more, it has ceased to be.…
Read MoreWho can be a beneficiary of my will?
Anyone can be named as a beneficiary in your will – as long as you live in England. Many other countries have different laws, often referred to as forced heirship. As you might expect, the rules can change as you cross borders. In Scotland, your immediate family has legal rights even if they are not…
Read MoreWho can be a witness to my will?
Legal stuff may be hard to read and even harder to understand. But a lot of it is actually based on good old common sense. Take witnessing the signing of a will, for example. If the will is contested in court, the two independent witnesses may also be called to testify that everything was done…
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