Wills, Trusts, Estates
Son succeeds in reasonable provision challenge to Will
14th May 2012
The son of a man who chose to leave his entire inheritance to the granddaughter of a former cohabitee successfully brought an action for reasonable provision only to nearly see... Read more
Wildlife habitat left to RSPCA sold and bulldozed
3rd May 2012
The RSPCA have chosen to ignore a wish expressed in the Will of a nature lover who left the charity his cottage as well as an area of land full... Read more
No adequate provision for wife of 2 years
13th April 2012
A woman who married a millionaire just two years before his death of heart failure has been successful in her challenge of the Will which left almost everything to her... Read more
Woman steals sister's inheritance from mother
29th March 2012
Denise Anne Davenport, aged 33, has been given a prison sentence of 40 weeks, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty to stealing and spending her sister's inheritance from their... Read more
Son who worked entire life on farm disinherited
29th March 2012
A son who worked his entire life on his father's farm, on the basis of a 'promise' that it would be his one day, has lost his appeal against being... Read more
Parents spend £60k of inheritance left to their children
12th March 2012
A 38 year old woman and a 45 year old man have been found guilty of defrauding their children by spending £60,000 of the inheritance left to them by their... Read more
Will invalid as Beneficiary guided testator's hand
2nd February 2012
The Will executed by Martin Lavin on his deathbed has been declared invalid by the England & Wales Court of Appeal, as his hand was guided by the sole beneficiary... Read more
Widow's mental incapacity claim unsuccessful
30th January 2012
A widow has lost her challenge of her husband's Will after she was unable to satisfy the court that a brain tumour he had suffered, which she says turned him... Read more
Unclear Will causes inheritance dispute over vintage car
25th January 2012
Lack of clarity in a Will created by Olive Watkins, who died aged 90 in 2010, has the court considering whether her live-in partner of nearly 40 years, Adolf Weidner,... Read more
Woman jailed for forging wealthy partners Will
25th January 2012
Karen Phillips, aged 46, has been sentenced to 8 months in prison after being found guilty of forging a Will after the death of her wealthy partner, Stephen Chambers, who... Read more
Will Aid raises over £1.5m in donations
23rd January 2012
Will Aid has raised over £1.5million in donations for 9 different charities in the scheme that involved participating solicitors waiving their fee for will writing in November so that clients... Read more
Campaign to increase charitable Wills
17th January 2012
While three quarters of the UK adult population support charities during their lifetime, only 7% leave a charitable gift in their Will, something the Legacy 10 scheme is hoping to... Read more
Daughters signature forged to steal inheritance money
8th November 2011
A father has pleaded guilty to forging his daughter's signature in order to steal the inheritance money left to her in a trust created by her grandfather's Will. Claire Sproston was... Read more
Will Aid: Make a Will in November and our fee goes to charity
20th October 2011
Wilson Nesbitt will be once again participating in the Will Aid 'Make a Will month' scheme in November that allows our clients to make a Will with us, but rather... Read more
Unregulated will-writer jailed for fraud
30th August 2011
An unregulated will-writer has been given a prison sentence of 14 months for fraud after sending letters out to clients of his will-writing company, Legacy & Law, advising them of... Read more
Unregulated will-writers ripping off thousands
18th July 2011
Chief Ombudsman for England and Wales, Adam Sampson, has used his first report to highlight the dangers of unregulated will-writers, saying that thousands of people are being 'ripped off'. The... Read more
Wife says tumour diminished will writing capacity
15th July 2011
Olga Smith, aged 61, has challenged her late husband's decision to cut her out of his will, saying that a neuroblastoma brain tumour, discovered in the post-mortem, robbed him of... Read more
Benefits cheat hid £50k inheritance
11th July 2011
A woman has been given a suspended jail sentence for fraudulently claiming £15,000 in benefits despite having received an inheritance amount of approximately £53,000 by her late father. The court heard... Read more
Inheritance plans take backseat to retirement fund
7th June 2011
A new survey by Prudential has revealed that only 52% of adults in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK plan to leave an inheritance, with 10% saying they... Read more
No Will and No way for charity donations
4th April 2011
New research has shown that the majority of adults in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK do not intend to leave money to charities in their Will, despite... Read more
Power of attorney used to steal from dying Mum
30th November 2010
Anne Blissell, a 60 year-old nurse who confessed to abusing a power of attorney to steal £60,000 from her elderly mother has been sentenced to prison for nine months. The prosecution... Read more
Most adults don't have a Will
29th April 2010
A new YouGov survey has revealed that 58% of adults do not currently have a Will, with 32% of those saying they 'always meant to but never got round to... Read more
Thousands more to pay Inheritance tax as result of threshold freeze
26th March 2010
Inheritance tax, or 'death tax' as it is often referred to, is a widely debated topic with many believing it is the most unfair of the taxes, as it penalises... Read more
30% of people left an inheritance face legal battle due to lack of Will
29th January 2010
Nearly a third of people in the UK who have been left an inheritance are forced to go to court to fight for it due to a Will not being... Read more
Recession bites into inheritance funds
5th May 2009
Solicitors in Northern Ireland are likely to see a change in trends when it comes to wills, trusts and estate planning following news that the recession has transformed the way... Read more
Financial crisis jeopardising retirement savings
14th April 2009
Planning for wills, trusts and estate management is likely to be impacted upon in the near future by the economic crisis, which has seen pension pots drastically reduce in value,... Read more
Women's pensions to be hit in 2009
8th April 2009
Women's pensions are expected to be hit hard this year as a £42 billion shortfall hits their retirement savings, new figures from Prudential show.According to the Prudential Class of 2009... Read more
Why it is important to have a will
24th March 2009
Contacting a solicitor to draw up a will is something many people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK put off but this can result in unpleasant circumstances,... Read more
Look for best annuities, consumers urged
12th March 2009
One way for people approaching retirement in Northern Ireland to protect their retirement savings is to shop around for the best annuity, it has been stated.Solicitors in Belfast helping clients... Read more
Rate cut hits pensioners
9th March 2009
Solicitors in Northern Ireland dealing with wills and trust management are likely to see clients reviewing their retirement decisions as a result of the recent cut in interest rates.According to... Read more
Falling rates to impact upon IHT bills
5th March 2009
There is widespread speculation that the Bank of England will drop interest rates further this week and while this may be bad news for savers, it has advantages as far... Read more
Downturn hampers retirement decisions
4th March 2009
The economic downturn and declining values in investments is going to impact upon the retirement decisions of over two million people in the UK this year, research shows.Solicitors in Northern... Read more
Pensioners urged to consider equity release
3rd March 2009
Northern Ireland pensioners in need of long-term care could discuss with their solicitors options such as equity release, which can be worked into their wills or trusts to provide much... Read more
Two in five Brits lack pension, survey shows
23rd February 2009
Future wills, trusts and estate management are likely to be impacted upon negatively following revelations that two in five British people do not have a pension.New research from Fairinvestment.co.uk has... Read more
Pension Regulator says companies need reassurances
18th February 2009
Businesses in Northern Ireland supporting final salary pension schemes need to be given reassurances that the schemes they sponsor can survive the downturn, solicitors in Belfast may want to know.... Read more
Government urged to be guarantor of pension schemes
17th February 2009
Solicitors in Northern Ireland dealing with wills, trusts and estate management may be interested to hear that making the government a guarantor could lessen the burden on pension schemes.This is... Read more
Pensioner swindled out of home by son
16th February 2009
A pensioner in Northern Ireland has been forced to seek the services of a solicitor after she was swindled out of her home by her own son and daughter in... Read more
Credit crisis bites into pension schemes
23rd January 2009
Future trust and estate planning in Northern Ireland are likely to be impacted upon by the current credit crisis, which is threatening to destroy salary related pension schemes, a new... Read more
Billions being lost due to poor IHT planning
21st January 2009
Poor inheritance tax (IHT) planning is costing British people close to two billion pounds, solicitors in Northern Ireland may be interested to know.This has been highlighted by independent financial advice... Read more
Shrinking pension values force many to extend retirement
14th January 2009
Future estate planning wills and trusts in Northern Ireland are likely to be impacted upon by the current economic situation, which is shrinking the value of people's pensions and destroying... Read more
Pensioners want state pension doubled
2nd January 2009
Solicitors in Belfast dealing with wills, trusts and estates may want to know that many pensioners in the UK are of the opinion that the basic state pension needs to... Read more
People still in the dark about IHT planning
15th December 2008
Many people are still in the dark about inheritance tax (IHT) as nearly three out of five people are unaware of new rules and the tax implications, research from Standard... Read more
£4bn boost for pensioners announced
15th December 2008
The biggest rise in the basic state pension since 2001 has just been announced, solicitors in Northern Ireland dealing with wills, trust and estates may be interested to hear.From next... Read more
Pensioners lose billions in slump
1st December 2008
Almost £45 billion has been lost by pensioners who were relying on property for retirement as a result of the credit crunch, solicitors in Northern Ireland dealing with trusts and... Read more
Personal Accounts pension a 'disaster'
27th November 2008
Pension industry experts have branded government plans for Personal Accounts in the 2012 pension reforms a disaster in the making, solicitors in Northern Ireland may be interested to know.The proposals... Read more
Pensioners facing 'mounting challenges'
24th November 2008
Wills, trusts and estates may be impacted negatively in the future as many pensioners increasingly retire in debt, solicitors in Northern Ireland may want to know.According to retirement solutions provider... Read more
Ignorance abounds on inheritance tax planning
10th November 2008
New data has revealed that many people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are failing to protect their wealth through effective tax planning.According to new research from... Read more
Use established IHT schemes for inheritance tax planning
22nd October 2008
Any individuals in Northern Ireland considering disposal of assets from their estate have been warned that HM Revenue & Customs can now take longer than 60 days to challenge an... Read more
Northern Ireland residents 'never too young to write a will'
27th June 2008
It is never too early to visit solicitors to draw up a will, according to Help the Aged.The charity has commented that whether or not to write a will depends... Read more
10p tax compensation plan announced
14th May 2008
The chancellor has announced how the government plans to compensate lower-earners after the abolition of the ten pence tax bracket.He told the commons that he will increase the individual personal... Read more
IHT 'generous' to small businesses
18th February 2008
Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland are often asked to write up wills for small business owners indicating that the family firm will be left to another member.As solicitors will... Read more
CTFs worth £2.4bn in future
8th February 2008
The first group of children in Britain and Northern Ireland who have been eligible to set up a child trust fund (CTF) through a solicitor are looking at reaping around... Read more
Trust money 'could go to waste'
23rd January 2008
Money in child trust funds (CTFs) set up by solicitors on the birth of a child could go to waste if children in Belfast and Northern Ireland are not educated... Read more
Solicitors 'essential' for co-buyers
14th January 2008
With property prices in Belfast and Northern Ireland remaining high, many people may be tempted to buy a house with other people, but this should be entered into with caution... Read more
IHT planning 'should start early'
9th January 2008
Inheritance Tax (IHT) need not be a burden and though it is advisable to start planning early, it is never too late to begin, financial advisers have said.For homeowners in... Read more
More pensioners in the province
25th October 2007
Solicitors in Northern Ireland are likely to see an increase in the number of people wanting to arrange their will, as national statistics show that there is an increasingly ageing... Read more
Widow forced to settle with husband's ex-wife
11th October 2007
Solicitors in Northern Ireland will have watched an unusual case with interest, as a woman whose husband died only hours after they married has been forced to pay £100,000 to... Read more
Darling pledges inheritance tax cut
10th October 2007
Chancellor Alistair Darling has announced that inheritance tax will be cut in his first pre-Budget Report.Solicitors in Northern Ireland may see more clients looking to buy houses as the inheritance... Read more
Ethical CTFs show future thinking
1st October 2007
While most parents do invest money in stakeholder child trust funds (CTFs), Family Investments has said that a long-term investment in the ethical variety is the choice of families looking... Read more
Old wills obstruct new changes
18th September 2007
Solicitors have said that a will should be updated "every time something really significant happens in your life, whether it's a change in family circumstance, change in financial circumstance or,... Read more
Wills' importance highlighted
17th September 2007
People in Britain and Northern Ireland should update their wills every time something significant happens in their lives, solicitors Mills Kemp and Brown has advised.A spokesperson for the firm explained... Read more
Upward trend for ethical trusts
13th September 2007
Solicitors in Britain and Northern Ireland are likely to see more clients setting up ethical child trust funds (CTFs), as more people become aware of environmental issues.A CTF is a... Read more
Update your will every five years
11th September 2007
Despite the fact that two thirds of people in Britain and Northern Ireland have no will prepared, experts advise that people should visit their solicitors to update their wills every... Read more
Accountants despair of clients not making wills
24th August 2007
An accountancy firm has publicly denounced the complacency that seems to be sweeping the country after research revealed that only ten per cent of people in Britain and Northern Ireland... Read more
Clever couples can avoid high IHT
7th August 2007
Married couples or those in a civil partnership can help to cut inheritance tax (IHT) by writing a nil rate band discretionary trust will, Willcare has advised. Couples in Britain... Read more
IFA hopes parents will trust in CTFs
3rd August 2007
An independent financial advisor (IFA) has said that the take-up of governmental Child Trust Funds (CTFs) is still disappointingly low but the industry hopes that parents will realise the benefits... Read more
Accountants face greater regulation
30th July 2007
Accountancy services in Britain and Northern Ireland will face greater regulation from December 15th 2007.Companies offering accountancy, tax, audit and insolvency services will be forced to undergo monitoring for compliance... Read more
NI children get less cash
3rd July 2007
Children in Northern Ireland receive less money than their peers in the rest of Britain, it has been revealed.Northern Ireland's Children and Young People Commissioner, Patricia Lewsley, has said that... Read more
Brits 'lacking wills'
26th June 2007
New research has revealed that as many as two in three people do not have a will.According to a study carried out by Barclays Wealth, 63 per cent of people... Read more
Non-working parents can still invest in CTFs
21st June 2007
Family Investments has said that with more parents taking leave from work to look after their newborns, finances may be stretched, but that is no excuse not to build up... Read more
Lords amend pension bill
13th June 2007
Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers have added amendments to the pension bill that could give more support for those whose pension funds went bust before 2005.As the bill moves through... Read more
More laws than ever during Blair years
4th June 2007
Solicitors in Britain and Northern Ireland will have had their work cut out for them over the past decade as statistics show that Tony Blair has passed a record number... Read more
HMRC frustrated by CTF take-up
30th May 2007
After one in five parents failed to invest their Child Trust Fund (CTF) vouchers, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has invested the money on parents' behalf.Yet the downside is that... Read more
Solicitors seeing more unusual cases
14th May 2007
Around two million people seek legal advice a year and although some cases will always be in a solicitor's daily remit, people are increasingly seeking advice for more unusual matters.According... Read more
More nationals to suffer dementia
4th May 2007
News that dementia in Northern Ireland is expected to increase by over 25 per cent over the next decade means that those approaching senior citizenship should visit their solicitors earlier... Read more
HMRC issues children's trust advice
30th April 2007
As this year's Baby Show embarks on a tour of the UK, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued advice to parents about the benefits of Child Trust Funds and... Read more
Expert says nil-band rate case proves zero
19th April 2007
After a nil-band rate trust was ruled invalid by tax commissioners, many had feared that this method of cutting inheritance tax (IHT) would not work, but a leading expert has... Read more
Over 60s maintain SSIA savings
16th April 2007
Thirty-four per cent of Northern Ireland's over 60s plan to save the money they will receive when their Special Savings Incentive Accounts (SSIAs) mature, according to a study by the... Read more
OAPs not claiming their cash
12th April 2007
Thousands of pensioners in Northern Ireland are failing to claim benefits that are rightfully theirs, according to charity Age Concern.Belfast Today reports that the charity's research reveals that 21 per... Read more
Child Trust Funds hit record highs
3rd April 2007
More than 2.6 million children now have a trust fund set up for them, the government has revealed.The economic secretary, Ed Balls, announced that three quarters of parents in Britain... Read more
Beat the 'death duty' through giving
2nd April 2007
On April 6th the new inheritance tax (IHT) nil band rate will jump to £300,000, meaning that now may be the time for some shrewd gifting.As the new rate comes... Read more
Aged could help the young
30th March 2007
The Pensioners' Income Series 2005/6 has revealed that the average income of UK pensioners has risen to £292 a week - an increase of 27 per cent over a decade.Published... Read more
More NI over-90s than ever
28th March 2007
The number of people in Northern Ireland who are aged 90 or more has seen an unprecedented rise over the last decade, according to government statistics.An estimated 8,300 citizens aged... Read more
HMRC confirm IHT will not hit children's trusts
27th March 2007
Solicitors and insurers have welcomed ultimate confirmation from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) that gifts in trusts left to minors will not be subject to inheritance tax (IHT) charges.Convoluted changes... Read more
NI couples tie the knot younger
26th March 2007
Couples in Northern Ireland get engaged and married younger than anywhere else in the UK, a new study has shown.A survey commissioned by wedding suppliers Wedding Invitation UK shows that... Read more
Make the most of your nil rate band
23rd March 2007
With the Budget announcement that the inheritance tax (IHT) threshold will be raised progressively until it reaches £350,000 in 2010, homeowners across Britain and Northern Ireland should be updating their... Read more
Inheritance 'vital financial support'
13th March 2007
An increasing number of people across the UK and Northern Ireland are planning to fall back on inheritance windfalls to support them and their children, it has been claimed.Solicitors in... Read more
Charman settlement could set a precedent
9th March 2007
Solicitors and financial advisers alike are eagerly watching the unfolding of the Charman divorce case, currently being heard in the Court of Appeal. The final ruling on the case, which... Read more
Young people unwilling to make a will
6th March 2007
The fact that only thirty per cent of adults in the UK and Northern Ireland have a will, findings of a survey by Will Aid, begs questions about which sections... Read more
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