Crafting wills is a fundamental aspect of private client practice. This topic offers expert guidance on drafting, executing, and contesting wills, ensuring your clients' wishes are clearly articulated and legally sound, while addressing potential challenges and disputes.
This Q&A considers the effect of a divorce on a Lasting Power of Attorney where one of the attorneys is the former spouse of the donor....
Private Client analysis: Farming businesses are often built over generations. They are asset-rich, cash-constrained, deeply personal and closely tied...
Law360, London: Individuals who moved to the UK in recent years have until the end of January 2028 to file for tax relief under the foreign income and...
Private Client analysis: This tax appeal concerned the correct inheritance tax (IHT) treatment of donations made to various political campaigning...
Nature and classification of trusts—the three certaintiesCertaintyIn order for a settlor to create a private express trust the three certainties must...
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 administrationFORTHCOMING CHANGE: The postal application forms PA1P and PA1A for...
Administration actions—personal representatives and the deceased's liabilitiesAn individual may assume obligations, for example in respect of...
Personal representatives and trustees—power of appropriationAppropriation is a process by which a personal representative (PR) or a trustee uses a specific asset in the estate or trust fund to meet, in full or in part, a beneficiary’s entitlement or interest.Personal representatives' common law and
Where a beneficiary is present when a Will is signed and witnessed, but is not an attesting witness to the Will, are there any grounds to challenge that beneficiary's entitlement under the Will?See Practice Note: Requirements for a valid Will which sets out the formalities for the proper execution
Contents of Wills-secret and half-secret trustsA secret or half-secret trust may be useful where a testator wishes to keep the identity of a beneficiary of a testamentary gift outside the text of their Will.Types of secret trustsThere are two kinds of secret trusts:•secret or fully secret
Failure of gifts—lapseThere are a number of reasons why a gift may fail, including where a gift has lapsed. For further guidance on the various reasons for the failure of a testamentary gift, see Practice Note: Failure of gifts—effects. This Practice Note considers the doctrine of lapse in more
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