Lasting Powers of Attorney registration time in England and Wales now twice the official target of 40 days
Extracted for Step.org industry news Thursday, 23 June 2022 The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is currently taking an average of 82 days to register lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) in England and Wales, more than twice the OPG’s official target time, according to a written parliamentary answer from Parliamentary Under Secretary of State […]
Gifting and Inheritance tax
June 17, 2022 Extracted from an article by Parisa Jones on Solicitors for the Elderly sfe.legal Inheritance Tax (IHT) is a tax paid on your estate after you’ve died. It’s a concern for many people who want to ensure their loved ones receive maximum benefit from any inheritance. IHT rules are complicated but with […]
Sufferers of dementia dismiss their symptoms as “old age”
May 20, 2022 Extracted from an article on todayswillsandprobate.co.uk New research has shown that four in 10 dementia patients said it took them a long time to be diagnosed with the condition as they had believed their symptoms were caused by old age. The research, conducted by the Alzheimer’s Society, suggests many are missing out […]
Arranging an LPA is one way to stay in control after a dementia diagnosis
Extracted from todayswillsandprobate.co.uk 12 May 2022 Monday 16th May marks the start of Dementia Action Week. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are currently around 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK. As dementia tends to affect people over the age of 65 (although it can also start at a younger age) the number […]
A post-Covid rise in disputed wills has led to warnings from experts that complex probate should be left to the experts
Extracted from an article in ‘Today’s Wills & Probate’ Contested probate cases in England and Wales rose in 2019 and 2020, when there were 192 contested wills, the highest number ever recorded. In 2019 cases were 50% higher than in 2018 and the trend is expected to continue. Solicitors suggest the rise is partly due […]
UK Government is Urged to Educate Public in Use of LPAs
Source: STEP Bulletin Monday, 21 February 2022 The general public has a poor understanding of lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) and often have difficulty getting banks to deal with them correctly, according to UK-wide research by Which?, the consumer campaign company. The survey of 2,000 UK residents found that only one in seven people have […]
Estate Planning and Changing Family Structures
Extracted from an article by Fraser and Fraser in ‘Today’s Wills & Probate’, Dated Feb 22, 2022 In the past couple years, figures released by the ONS indicate the structures of UK families and households are continually changing shape. 30 years ago, a “traditional” family was the norm, with this family structure considered to be a […]
UK private members’ Bill would open up deceased’s records to family
A private members’ Bill to give a deceased or incapacitated person’s family immediate access to their digital data, without having to take legal action against digital platforms, has been introduced to the UK parliament. The Digital Devices (Access for Next of Kin) Bill was introduced on 18 January by Democratic Unionist Party MP Ian Paisley […]
Probate delays continue
Probate delays continue to wreak financial havoc on grieving families as further stories surface in the press. Speaking to the Guardian, a distressed and frustrated reader recently described how probate delays had incurred huge financial costs to their family. “My uncle died 11 months ago, and my mother also died, leaving my brother and myself […]
Protecting your Business with a Lasting Power of Attorney
As a business owner, you know that the continuity of your business is one of the key elements in your business plan. Few owners realise, however, that if they are unable to manage their financial affairs (including business matters), due to a physical or mental incapacity, there is no-one with legal authority to manage them […]
