Hidden away in the recent 2024 Spring Budget update is a small but interesting change to Inheritance Tax (“IHT”) payment rules, specifically concerning the process of obtaining a 'grant on credit' from HMRC. Effective from April 1, 2024, personal representatives of estates will no longer be required to seek commercial read more...

If you are appointed as an executor, it is your role to distribute the estate according to the terms of the Will. For more information on the role of an executor see our blog here . Read on if you know what is expected of an executor but are not read more...

It’s Christmas aka the season of giving. In keeping with the festive spirit let’s talk about giving to those less fortunate than us and how that can mean paying less to the Grinch (the taxman). Inheritance Tax A quick recap on inheritance tax, this is a tax payable on your read more...

In today’s climate property values are falling and interest rates are rising meaning fewer properties are being sold. Throw in the added complication of mass delays in obtaining a Grant of Probate ) there are a number of executors that will end up selling properties for less than the value read more...

In short the answer is no, you cannot rewrite someone’s Will after they have died. Whilst you cannot change a Will following someone’s death, you might be able to vary the tax treatment of a gift and subsequently your entitlement from a Will after someone has died. Read on to read more...

Tattoos can be a grey area and polarise opinions. However, are employers allowed to judge an individual based on their tattoos, or would this be deemed discrimination? Are there any laws governing this? Legally, there are currently no employment laws that govern tattoos in the workplace. This means that an read more...

A recent ruling in the First-tier Tax Tribunal has provided a useful reminder of the factors the courts will take into consideration when determining an individual’s domicile status. The case involved an appeal against HMRC’s decision that the taxpayer, Mr Shah, was domiciled in England and Wales at the time read more...

New data issued by the Freedom of Information (FOI) has revealed that almost 130,000 lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) applications have been rejected in the last 5 years due to mistakes, with over 29,000 of these coming in the last year alone. We have previously covered LPAs in this blog read more...

It is important to know that for a will to be valid, the testator, i.e., the person making it must have sufficient mental capacity. “Testamentary capacity” is the legal term used when describing an individual’s legal and mental ability to make or alter a valid will. In the absence of read more...

There are two ways in which you can jointly own a property: as tenants in common, or as joint tenants. How you hold your joint property affects how to deal with it after one co-owner dies.  Tenants in Common As tenants in common, co-owners own specific shares of the property. read more...

There are two forms of written agreement you need to be aware of, namely simple contracts and deeds. This article explores executing documents in real estate. Difference between a contract and a deed Most commonly documents will be executed as simple contracts. A simple contract does not usually need to read more...

Jonathan Downing, a furniture designer bought his three-bedroom house in South London for £700,000 in August 2018 from Jeremy Henderson. However, his dream home soon became a nightmare when he discovered Japanese knotweed canes behind the shed. The invasive plant is notorious for its propensity to spread and damage the read more...

It is important for Landlords to spot the warning signs when a commercial tenant is facing financial difficulties to help them minimise their losses. Tenants are often reluctant to let their landlord know if there are issues, but there are some common signs which might indicate a problem. Paying rent read more...

ELF After Buddy is wrongly assumed to be a department store Christmas elf, he ends up pretending to not only work there, but even sleeping in the shop. Here he has committed the relatively serious crimes of trespassing, fraud and potentially burglary. During his fake employment, he peeps over the read more...

On 17 November 2022, Jeremy Hunt announced that the UK Government, in its Autumn Statement has accepted the Low Pay Commission’s proposed increases to the national living wage (NLW) and national minimum (NMW) rates from April 2023. About the National Minimum Wage (NMW) The national minimum wage (NMW) is a read more...

What is the Great Resignation? The great resignation has hit the UK, but just what is the ever-growing employee movement? It is an ongoing economic trend in which more and more employees are resigning from their jobs. Experts considered the development to be a knock-on effect of the pandemic as read more...

What is stamp duty? Stamp Duty Land Tax is a levy on home and land purchases. It is a cost that buyers must pay if the transaction value exceeds a certain amount. This tax applies to both freehold and leasehold properties – whether you’re buying outright or with a mortgage. read more...