Archive for November 2015

Relatives of a wealthy physicist have failed in their bid to inherit hundreds of thousands pounds from his estate. The physicist had several bank accounts, including one on the Isle of Man containing £250,000, and one in Jersey containing £500,000. He made a will leaving some assets to his family but then specifying that the…

A woman has been appointed as her mother’s deputy in a power of attorney arrangement despite living more than 3,000 miles away in the United States. The judge held that the arrangement could work perfectly well because of the advances in modern technology including online banking. The case involved a woman who had been admitted…

Help to Buy ISAs, which provide first time buyers with a 25% bonus on their savings when buying a home, are now available from banks and building societies. The scheme is designed to help thousands of young people to get on the housing ladder. The government has pledged to add £25 to every £100 you…

Thousands of people set up lasting powers of attorney (LPA) each year to protect their interests if they ever lose mental capacity in the future. LPAs enable you nominate someone to look after your affairs if you are unable to do so yourself. The vast majority of LPAs work exactly as intended but occasionally things…

A further 1.3 million tenants are to be given the right to buy their homes following an agreement between the government, housing associations and the National Housing Federation. The first sales should begin next year. The agreement means that housing association tenants will be able to buy their homes at the same discounted rates currently…

Inheritance tax payments have been increasing due to rising house prices and an overall rise in family wealth and investment. The latest figures from HM Revenue and Customs show that just over £3 billion was collected in inheritance tax in 2013, an increase of 15% on the previous year and the highest figure since 2008…

The vast majority of people still prefer to ask a solicitor to write their will, according to new research by Will Aid. The number of people consulting solicitors about their will has risen by 2% over the last four years. Meanwhile, the number of people using will writers instead has fallen from 17.9% in 2008…