As individuals, we are increasingly acquiring digital assets which could form part of our estate following our death; a Paypal balance, an online gaming avatar, music, photos, social media accounts, and copyright in blogs to name but a few examples. Is it necessary to update your will specifically to include these assets and how would
The actress Carey Mulligan has been appointed the first UK Global Dementia Friends Ambassador by the Alzheimer’s Society and the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. The star of films such as Suffragette and The Great Gatsby aims to inspire and engage world leaders to promote a better understanding of dementia, a condition afflicting her grandmother. Her
High divorce rates and the increasing number of people entering into second relationships is leading to more and more disputes over wills and family inheritance. Conflicts due to second marriages have now become one of the main reasons for families taking legal action following the death of a relative. A typical problem arises when a
The late Duke of Westminster saved his family billions of pounds by using a trust that allows wealth to pass through the generations without attracting a large inheritance tax liability. The Duke died in August leaving an estate valued at £9bn. It’s thought nearly all of that wealth will pass to his son Hugh without
A 91-year-old man has been granted the right to buy the home he shared with his partner because her will had not made reasonable provision for him. The court heard that the man had lived in the home with his partner for 20 years. She had made a will leaving all her estate to her
A landed family have amended a trust to ensure that if any of their descendants are gay, their partners will have the same rights as heterosexual spouses. The Pembertons have lived at Trumpington Hall in Cambridgeshire for three centuries. The hall has often been used for as a location for films and TV programmes such
A father had understood what he was doing when he left his daughters out of his will and made specific provisions for the division of his estate. That was the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of two daughters who believed their father had been subjected to undue influence shortly before his
A divorced husband has been given permission by the Court of Appeal to challenge the will of his former mother-in-law. The issue arose out of the divorce settlement between Colin Randall and his former wife Hilary. Mrs Randall had agreed that if she inherited anything from her mother, she would keep the first £100,000 and
People are being urged to safeguard their future as the population ages by taking out a lasting power of attorney (LPA). The Law Society says that with people living longer, it’s vitally important that we plan ahead because there may come a time when we can no longer make vital decisions about our finances and
The Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK are each donating £50m to the new Dementia Research Institute (DRI). The investment is in addition to the £150m already pledged by the government. The DRI is expected to be up and running by 2020. It will have a central UK hub with a network of regional centres