Powers of attorney and advance decisions

Effectively managing the process of designating trusted individuals for handling affairs or making crucial health decisions on behalf of clients requires thorough understanding. This resource provides practical insights tailored for legal professionals, ensuring clear and comprehensive guidance on creating and implementing powers of attorney and advance decisions. Discover expert advice to appropriately address client needs and uphold their best interests.

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Advance decisions Enduring powers of attorney Lasting powers of attorney Ordinary powers of attorney

Latest Private Client News

Private Client weekly highlights—4 June 2026

Private Client weekly highlights—4 June 2026

This week’s edition of Private Client highlights includes: (1) Braithwaite v Sir Benjamin Slade, Bt, concerning the construction of a trust deed and...

Charity Commission publishes guidance on trustee duties for grants to charities

Charity Commission publishes guidance on trustee duties for grants to charities

The Charity Commission has issued guidance for trustees in England and Wales on making grants to charities and other organisations. The guidance...

Question of the week: Where an individual gave their property to their children several years ago and continued to live in it creating a gift with reservation of benefit, what are the reporting requirements to HMRC on the IHT403 on their death? Would HMRC require a RICS Red Book valuation of what the property was worth at the date of the gift? Can the property be sold straightaway or should it be delayed in case HMRC makes further investigations?

Question of the week: Where an individual gave their property to their children several years ago and continued to live in it creating a gift with reservation of benefit, what are the reporting requirements to HMRC on the IHT403 on their death? Would HMRC require a RICS Red Book valuation of what the property was worth at the date of the gift? Can the property be sold straightaway or should it be delayed in case HMRC makes further investigations?

This Q&A looks at the inheritance tax reporting position where a deceased gifted property to their children several years ago but continued to live in...

OPG publishes code of practice to address deprivation of liberty in care arrangements

OPG publishes code of practice to address deprivation of liberty in care arrangements

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has published guidance in the form of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Code of Practice for...

Featured Private Client content

Nature and classification of trusts—the three certainties

Nature and classification of trusts—the three certainties

Nature and classification of trusts—the three certaintiesCertaintyIn order for a settlor to create a private express trust the three certainties must...

Protectors

Protectors

ProtectorsWhat is a protector?A protector is a person who holds powers under a trust but who is not a trustee. A protector is a person who is...

Preparing the application form PA1P/PA1A for probate or letters of administration

Preparing the application form PA1P/PA1A for probate or letters of administration

Preparing the application form PA1P/PA1A for probate or letters of administrationFORTHCOMING CHANGE: The postal application forms PA1P and PA1A for...

Administration actions—personal representatives and the deceased's liabilities

Administration actions—personal representatives and the deceased's liabilities

Administration actions—personal representatives and the deceased's liabilitiesAn individual may assume obligations, for example in respect of...

Precedents

Loan agreement—individuals

Loan agreement—individualsDATE:Parties1[[name] of [address] [and [name] of [address]] OR [name] and [name] both of [address]] (Lender[s])2[[name] of...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

The Cy-près doctrine

The Cy-près doctrineFORTHCOMING CHANGE: The Charities Act 2022 (CA 2022) received Royal Assent on 24 February 2022 and will be implemented on a...
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30th May
Practice notes

Trustees—appointment of trustees

Trustees—appointment of trusteesOriginal trusteesTrustees will usually be appointed by the instrument that brings the trust into existence. The trust...
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2nd Jun
tag iconIn-house
Practice notes

Death in service benefits

Death in service benefitsOverview of the types of death in service benefits and their tax treatmentThere are three types of death in service...
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Produced in partnership with Eleanor Walsh, Lily Hurley and Emily Cook of Sinclair Gibson LLP
30th May
Practice notes

Assent of assets by personal representatives

Assent of assets by personal representativesPersonal representatives (PRs) can transfer assets to beneficiaries in any way that would also be...
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2nd Jun
Q&As

A trust holds the beneficial ownership of shares in a company of which one trustee is a director. Of the three beneficiaries, two are adults and there is a declaration of trust in respect of the shares held for them. The other is a minor and there is a separate declaration of trust for him. What would or should happen to the company shares on the death of a beneficiary? Neither declaration of trust deals with this issue.

A trust holds the beneficial ownership of shares in a company of which one trustee is a director. Of the three beneficiaries, two are adults and there...
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Produced in partnership with Chris Bryden of 4 King’s Bench Walk
13th Oct
Practice notes

Intermeddling in an estate

Intermeddling in an estateWhat is intermeddling?An individual who performs certain duties which a personal representative (PR) would perform to...
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Produced in partnership with Jenny Bird and Charlotte Kynaston of Macfarlanes
2nd Jun
Practice notes

Termination of trusts—methods of termination

Termination of trusts—methods of terminationDuration of a trustThe duration of an express trust is subject to the restrictions imposed by the rules...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

Trusts as a vehicle for holding company shares

Trusts as a vehicle for holding company sharesIntroductionMany trusts own shares as part of a portfolio of investments. This Practice Note looks at...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

Benevolent funds

Benevolent fundsFORTHCOMING CHANGE: The Charities Act 2022 (CA 2022) received Royal Assent on 24 February 2022 and will be implemented on a staggered...
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30th May
Practice notes

Creation of trusts—life insurance trusts

Creation of trusts—life insurance trustsDefining life insurance trustsA life insurance trust usually involves either:•an assignment of an insurance...
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30th May
Practice notes

Lifetime gifts

Lifetime giftsA lifetime gift is a gratuitous transfer of ownership of any property between living persons and not made in expectation of death. In...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

Source of income (and private client)

Source of income (and private client)When advising an individual on cross-border or offshore tax planning, it is important to establish the 'source'...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

Liferent trusts—Scotland

Liferent trusts—ScotlandLiferent trustsA liferent trust (or trust liferent) is a trust which, when settled, confers a use and income benefit, or both,...
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Produced in partnership with Pete Murrin of Turcan Connell
13th Oct
tag iconScottish Law
Q&As

When can a mistake in an executed deed be rectified by a manuscript amendment rather than by a deed of rectification?

When can a mistake in an executed deed be rectified by a manuscript amendment rather than by a deed of rectification?This Q&A explains when it is...
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Produced in partnership with Emma Holland of Stewarts Law
13th Oct
Practice notes

Advantages and disadvantages of an offshore trust

Advantages and disadvantages of an offshore trustAn offshore trust is a trust where the trustees are resident in a low or zero tax jurisdiction....
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Produced in partnership with Mourant Ozannes
13th Oct

Popular documents

Can an attorney delegate some or all their powers as an attorney? If so, how?

Can an attorney delegate some or all their powers as an attorney? If so, how?The issue addressed in this Q&A is whether an attorney can delegate all or some of their powers as attorney (with particular reference to Lasting Powers of Attorney). If so, how can they delegate such powers?Types of

Can a bankrupt individual be appointed as an attorney pursuant to a power of attorney? Does it make a

Can a bankrupt individual be appointed as an attorney pursuant to a power of attorney? Does it make a difference if they are a discharged or undischarged bankrupt?As this Q&A has not specified the power of attorney we have considered both ordinary powers of attorney and lasting powers of

Can a power of attorney lapse or expire or does it last indefinitely? Does it need to be updated or

Can a power of attorney lapse or expire or does it last indefinitely? Does it need to be updated or 'refreshed'?Lasting powers of attorneyIn contrast to an ordinary power of attorney, the authority conveyed by a lasting power of attorney (LPA) does not terminate on the incapacity of the donor. Once

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companiesWhy does it matter?A company that is a member of a group and has incurred any of the types of losses available for surrender by way of group relief may, without any further rules, have more than one way in which to use the loss. There are a