The controversial changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) announced in last year’s autumn budget are getting closer, and are due to be implemented next April. They include the proposed APR alterations, widely labelled as a ‘Family Farm Tax’, making succession planning for farmers more important than ever before. Solicitor Lucy…
Did you know Blended families are most at risk from inheritance disputes? Recent research from STEP* highlights a growing trend: inheritance disputes are increasing, particularly in more complex family structures, with blended families most at risk. Solicitor Lucy Wilton outlines 4 things you can do to help to protect your blended family from future inheritance…
Whether we like it or not, our lives are increasingly lived online, something which the AI revolution will no doubt take even further. Solicitor Lucy Wilton outlines the new Digital Assets Act and the impact it will have on Estate Planning. Priceless memories (… and your iCloud photo library)We published a blog back in 2020…
It is entirely lawful for an Executor to also be a beneficiary under a Will, and in most Estates this arrangement works without difficulty. However, where an Executor who stands to benefit from an Estate fails to act fairly or transparently, the situation can quickly become distressing and contentious for other beneficiaries. In this article,…
As with DIY Wills, some people see solicitors’ fees for Probate as unnecessary expenditure. However, there are some real benefits in instructing a solicitor. Adopting the DIY approach to save money can turn out to be rather short-sighted. Lucy Wilton from Penderlaw’s Wills, Trusts and Probate team outlines the key benefits of instructing a solicitor…
No, this is not true. Amy Davis, a paralegal in our Wills, Trusts and Probate team says that one of the most common misconceptions she comes across is that clients believe that if they were to die without a Will, their Estate would pass to the Crown. This is not actually true. It would in…
When drawing up your Will, one of the first things you will need to decide is who you would like to be your Executor. They should obviously be someone you trust completely but they also need to be someone who is capable of performing the role competently when the time comes. Alice Vage from our…
We published a blog a while back now discussing what happens to our digitally stored assets when we die – What will happen to your ‘Digital Life’ when you die? Apple have now created a feature which enables those with iPhones to appoint a digital Legacy Contact to make sure precious digital memories aren’t…
This isn’t always the case. In general terms, there is no time limit for challenging the validity of a Will if you are concerned that the person making the Will did not have capacity, or was forced into making the Will, although if there has been a delay in contesting the Will, the court may…
We’re absolutely thrilled that both Tegan Pownall and Alice Vage won awards at this year’s Cornwall Law Society Awards! Cornwall Law Society’s prestigious annual awards ceremony took place on Friday, 13th June at Truro Cathedral. The ceremony is a glamourous black-tie occasion, bringing together lawyers from all over the county and a chance to celebrate…
