Blog
Rayner my parade! The importance of specialist advice.
Jemma Brimblecombe
13 October 2017
Are trusts a "tax loophole" exploited by the wealthy?
Today’s Times (13 October) carries the headline “Duke of Westminster’s £8bn fortune escapes death duties”. It’s reported that, on the face of the probate just granted in respect of the late Duke’s estate, personal wealth of £616 million was, for the most part, left on life interest trusts for his widow, Natalia.
22 September 2017
Powers of Attorney online - an invitation to cheat?
The Financial Conduct Authority has published a paper suggesting that more should be done to enable individuals (“donors”) to make, register and store Lasting Powers of Attorney online. These proposals may save time, paper and energy, but there is a real risk that safeguards designed to protect individuals will be compromised.
29 August 2017
Wills by WhatsApp?
The Wills Act 1837 (the “Wills Act”) is probably one of the oldest pieces of legislation we tend to come across on a day to day basis. It works well because it is (a) clear, and (b) simple.
25 August 2017
Posthumous marriages and the importance of making a will
The recent posthumous marriage between Xavier Jugelé and Etienne Cardiles has caught the attention of many. Jugelé was killed in a terror attack in April earlier this year. He was shot whilst on duty as a police officer on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. He had been among the first responders to the attack on the Bataclan theatre in Paris in November 2015. A month after his death Jugelé’s partner, Etienne Cardiles, married him posthumously.
22 August 2017
Powers of attorney: too risky?
The recently retired Senior Judge of the Court of Protection, Judge Denzil Lush, caused a stir on the Today Programme last week by criticising the lack of safeguards in powers of attorney and saying that he would not sign one himself. Judge Lush also contrasted this with the appointment of a professional deputyship as a “safer” alternative.