News & Resources
What is Double Taxation and how can I avoid it?
In a previous article, you discussed people with estates in different countries. You mentioned double taxation. What is double taxation and how can I avoid it?
Probate is Not Expensive
I have a quick question.
Can I sell the deceased’s home before receiving a grant of probate?
Do your debts die with you?
Dear Ade, Do your debts die with you, or do your debts have to be paid after your death? Thanks, Roger Dear Roger, Thank you for your missive.Your question marks you as someone who is not a regular reader of this publication. Your query puts me in...
What’s the Statutory Legacy?
I’ve read in the papers that the statutory legacy is being increased to £322,000. What is the statutory legacy and how would the increase affect me? To start at the end, the statutory legacy, increase or no, would only affect the unfortunate, a class from which you’ve...
Will the government abolish Inheritance Tax?
A question from a reader about the abolition of inheritance tax Dear Ade, Have you seen the campaign in the Telegraph on abolition of the hated inheritance tax. Do you think the government would abolish inheritance tax – might an electoral surprise be in the works?...
PET and Debt
If I were to gift, say, £50,000 to one of my daughters who, finding she has no immediate use for the money, wishes to lend it back to me, repayable on demand, and at a reasonable rate of interest, would that £50,000…
Free Wills …the Final Insult?
A question from a reader about why I don't offer free wills Dear Ade, What have you got against free wills? You tend to write about them in very strong and caustic language – after all, free wills raise funds for charity. Marti My answer - is free worthwhile? Dear...
Adoption Blended Families and Inheritance
Hello, I was adopted. I’ve just heard of the death of my biological mother. Can I make a claim on her estate? My ex-husband suggests I might under something he calls the 1975 Act. I’ve seen your other writing on blended families. How do adoption blended families and...
Stepchildren and the 1975 Act
I’ve a question regarding stepchildren and the 1975 Act? My stepmother (my dad remarried) has just died. She left her estate to her daughter, my stepsister. I’ve always been on friendly terms with my stepsister [we played prominent roles at each other’s weddings not...
Legal Order of Next of Kin
Hello,I’ve been having this debate with my stepbrothers – what is the legal order of next of kin? This question is relevant to the matter of precedence of inheritance from my father (my stepmother died last summer), he says there’s no such thing. My wife says the fact...
Testamentary Freedom in Blended Families
Hello, I’ve a question on testamentary freedom in blended families. Like me, you must have seen cases in the newspapers where wills have been overturned. I’ve read a couple of your articles in which you’ve referred to testamentary freedom.What testamentary freedom and...
Executor Withholding Money from Beneficiary
Hello Ade,I’ve a question on an executor withholding money from beneficiary in a blended family. My brother Brendan is one of the beneficiaries on my stepmother’s will. There are 14 beneficiaries in total, all inheriting equal amounts.The two executors of the will...
Write a Will with Stepchildren
Writing a will is the foundation of preserving your inheritance.To write a will with stepchildren is the foundation of preserving your life’s work to ensure the fruit of your life’s work be it grand or modest stays in your family forever. You recognise there is a cost...
Cohabiting Couples’ Inheritance Rights
Dear Ade, What are the cohabiting couples’ inheritance rights? My partner and I have been together before my son who celebrated his twentieth birthday last weekend was born. He has a daughter from a previous relationship. I’ve always believed we were in a common law...
Non-Settlor Interested Trusts
Hello, My sister has asked me to contact you. My wife and I are thinking of downsizing. We’re moving from an eight hundred thousand pound five-bedroom house to a £350,000 ground floor flat which we currently rent to tenants. We’ve served notice of termination of...
What’s a Person’s Estate?
Hello,I’ve a simple question, what’s a person’s estate? Many thanks All They Own A person’s estate is simply everything they own. For inheritance tax purposes, one’s estate includes: The value of assets in person’s outright ownership. The value of the persons half...
Books & Publications
Maximum Inheritance
Especially with estate planning articles, life’s work is simple: to help you keep the fruit of your life’s work in your family forever. You’ve lots of estate planning articles in my book, Maximum Inheritance….
….is an easy-to-read collection of estate planning articles, of thumbnail sketches of cases – both those I’ve handled personally and those in the public domain.
Reading this book would put you in the driving seat in planning your inheritance. You would be well appraised of the points to be aware of and questions to ask when planning your inheritance
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