Rachael is on a mission to share her expertise and help more people avoid the all-too-common misery caused by not having a Will, poorly drafted Wills, or the lack of relevant estate planning provisions.
The articles below share her nuggets of wisdom, drawn from years of working with personal and business clients, to help protect you from these pitfalls, explained in straightforward, plain English (not legal jargon).
Why every adult should have Lasting Powers of Attorney…
You would like to think that if a loved one lost mental capacity – the ability to make their own decisions – perhaps through an illness, accident, dementia or a…
Inheritance Tax Update
“Inheritance Tax is paid by people who distrust their heirs more than they dislike the Inland Revenue!” These words from a former Chancellor are now far from reality due to…
Why divorced parents must have a valid up-to-date Will
The act of marriage invalidates an existing Will, unless it was written in contemplation of marriage, as you have become a ‘different legal entity’. Divorce does not have the same…
Can I now leave £1m to my children free of Inheritance Tax?
In the run up to the 2010 general election, the Conservatives pledged to raise the tax-free threshold on death to £1m per person if they got into power. In 2015…
The Dangers of DIY Wills
Your Will is the largest cheque you will ever write – it gives away all your assets. If you decide to ‘do it on the cheap’, or ‘Do It Yourself’ you might be landing your loved ones with serious problems, with years of delays and huge costs incurred to put things right, and you won’t be around at the time it all goes wrong.
Why the Taxman loves Death-in-Service benefits
Ironically, you may be worth substantially more dead than alive! In many cases this is due to Life Assurance – the one kind of insurance you buy that you will…
The implications of gifting assets to a foreign spouse
This Spring brought a welcome change to the inheritance tax (IHT) regime for foreign domiciled individuals living in the UK and married to a UK-domiciled spouse. A regime which had…
Don’t come to me for a loan: don’t go to your Bank for a Will
Many Banks will offer their ‘most valued’ customers a “Free Will” – never before has the saying been so true that “if it looks too good to be true, it…
The Truth about Trusts that are sold to ‘Protect your home from Care Fees’
I have recently been contacted by several of my clients who had received door drop leaflets inviting them to attend a free seminar on ‘Protecting your home from Care Home…