26 September 2014
Will you or won't you? - Passing down wealth to your children
The average Briton now delays making a Will until they are 72 years old according to a recent survey by Remember a Charity. Only three in 10 people in the UK actually have a Will and many of us simply don’t write a Will at all in spite of this being an age of increasingly complicated financial affairs, complex family dynamics and people moving between countries. The lack of engagement or willingness to arrange our affairs is somewhat surprising given the difficulties that can arise if matters are not dealt with and how these may affect the passing down of wealth to your children and through generations.
10 July 2014
Constructive trusts and the potential interplay of foreign and religious laws
Constructive trusts are a flexible remedy imposed by courts to correct perceived injustices in relation to the beneficial ownership of property. The recent case of Bal Mohinder Singh v Jasminder Singh & Herinder Singh ([2014] EWHC 1060 (Ch)), which involved a dispute over family property, is interesting as it looked at constructive trusts in the context of religion and foreign law.
30 May 2014
Challenge to remove Jimmy Savile’s Executors fails
The beneficiaries of Jimmy Savile’s estate have been at loggerheads with his Executors following fears that compensation claims to his victims may use up all the money in his Estate.
25 April 2014
Disputed Will cases – Inheritance and Family Provisions Act 1975 claims
‘1975 Act claims’ are claims made under the Inheritance and Family Provisions Act 1975, where relatives and dependants who feel they have not received enough (or anything at all) on someone’s death can ask the Court to make provision for them. Below are a couple of recent cases.
Should you have any questions about bringing or defending a 1975 Act claim, please see our Frequently Asked Questions and case studies or contact a member of our team.
24 March 2014
Mental Capacity Case - Meat-eating testator can leave his millions to the Vegetarian Society
This case involves a millionaire who left 80% of his estate to the Vegetarian Society, despite not being a vegetarian.