Lasting Powers of Attorney – What you need to know
I have been advising clients on Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA’s) for 8 years and many clients have the same questions and concerns. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions: What is an LPA? An LPA provides powers while you are living, it is a document which gives powers to your attorney(s) to […]
Peace of Mind
Many clients ask me about the advantages of making their Wills with me. As a member of the Society of Will Writers, I can offer my clients security about the advice they are given, and about how I handle their personal information. I am proud to be able to use the Society of Will Writers’ […]
Digital Assets
When planning their estate most people only consider their physical, tangible assets but in this increasingly digital age it is now advisable to also make allowance for your digital assets once you have passed. What are digital assets? There are 3 types of digital asset: 1. Financial: including online banking, Paypal accounts and online shopping […]
A Lasting Power of Attorney in Action
This week’s blog is a little different. Instead of focussing on aspects of the law, I am going to share a personal experience I had last week My dad was taken into hospital last week. Nothing life threatening but still an anxious time for all of us. He is in his late 70’s and can […]
Eastenders and Succession Planning
Usually at ALH Legal I write my own blogs about topics I think will interest my readers and clients but sometimes I read a blog that perfectly sums up what I’d like to say and this is just one such blog courtesy of the Society of Will Writers. So thank you to the Society of […]
Yabba-Dabba-Doo! Why make a Lasting Power of Attorney
Did you ever wonder what would have happened to Wilma and Pebbles if Fred had got hit on the head by a wayward dinosaur or a falling rock and lost capacity? A lot of people believe that as his spouse Wilma would automatically have control of finances or decisions- especially if a joint bank account […]
There’s no such thing as average…
As a co-habiting couple, you inherit nothing from each other without a WilI… In the UK there is no such thing as an average family. The 2.4 nuclear idea is no longer the norm and statistically there are more than 6 million co-habiting couples, with 42% of marriages ending in divorce and 2nd and 3rd marriage becoming […]
In consideration of looking after your Will
Congratulations! You have planned your estate and written your Will, so where should you keep it? Most people will just file the documents away and hope that a) someone will find them on the occasion of their death and that b) they are not lost in a fire/flood. To ensure the safety of your documents, […]
A FLIT based Fairy Story
If you are on your second marriage with children from a previous relationship then I have a story for you… Once Upon a Time in a Land Far Far Away Cinderella and Snow White waited with trepidation as they watched their father marry the wicked step mother (I mean deep down she was a lovely […]
Funeral costs are on the up…
Talking to our families about death and funerals is always emotional. But as money expert Martyn Lewis says – this is just because they love us. There are 2 reasons why we should all plan our funerals in advance: With funeral costs rising far in excess of the annual rate of inflation and almost 10 […]
Can You Disinherit Your Children?
You might have heard about the case of Heather Ilot, who was awarded £164,000 from her mother’s estate after a decade of court battles even though the mother had written her out of her Will. There was much debate about this case in the news in July 2015 when the final decision was made that […]
Getting Married? What Happens to Your Will? – The “In Contemplation of Marriage” Clause
You have made your Will and have decided how much each of your children will receive in the event of your death and have also favourably considered a few friends and some charitable causes. And then you decide to get remarried. What happens to your Will? The general rule is, that when you get married […]
Flexible Life Interest Trust – An Ideal Solution for Blended Families
A Flexible Life Interest Trust is very useful for blended families, where the testator is concerned about their partner leaving assets to future children or step-children after their death. It can also be used to potentially reduce inheritance tax. As it is New Year and we all need cheering up – here is a fairy […]
Charles Dickens’ Will and Funeral Plan – His Final Plot
Death is said to be the great leveller – even when it comes to the paperwork. The private life of Charles Dickens would have made the perfect plot for one of his own stories. His novels made him famous around the world, and he created some of the greatest characters of all time – including […]
The Importance of Estate Planning
Not long into Captain Ahab’s search for the Great White Whale, one of the Pequod’s longboats is attacked, the sailors escape the immediate peril of the vengeful whale, but are “tossed helter skelter into the white curdling cream of the squall”. They find themselves “drenched through, and shivering cold, despairing of ship or boat” […]
