Protective Trust Will

When people make a standard Will, they usually leave everything to the survivor and then to their children. It may come as a surprise to know that your children could end up with very little or even nothing at all. This may happen if one or both of you need residential care.
Although people are living […]

How do we look from abroad?

Three cases reported in our newspapers this week makes us wonder how we’re (the UK) looked at from aboard. What do they think of us?
A Co-op supervisor, aged 60, was sacked after 23 years service for giving a customer dying flowers for free. The customer was buying three bunches of flowers and wanted the almost […]

Inheritance Tax Planning Will

When people make a standard Will, they usually leave everything to the survivor and then to their children. It may come as a surprise to know that your children could end up with a substantial tax bill which will require to be paid to the government prior to them actually inheriting from yourselves.
It has been […]

Live longer - update your Will

Released yesterday, Life Trust Foundation research shows that women aged 55 now have a 25% chance of living until they are 95. That’s one in four will go all the way to 95.
It also shows that most of them will live unaccompanied or in care homes. Most of them will travel lonely from life into […]

Power of attorney - what is it?

Lasting Power of Attorney (England & Wales)
Continuing & Welfare Power of Attorney (Scotland):
Who will manage your affairs should you become incapable due to an accident, stroke, dementia or Alzheimer’s? Who will sign cheques, documents and withdraw money from your account to pay the bills?
Unless you have a Power of Attorney in place you may end […]

Funeral planning made easy

We all need to lighten up our lives from time to time, so here’s a joke sent in:
Arthur talking to his friend Bill
“I was at Smith’s pre-paid funeral planning the other day and made arrangements for my passing”
“Was it expensive?” said Bill
Arthur replied “Yes, I’m dying beyond my means!”

Is your asset value changing?

Our ‘darling’ chancellor says he’s optimistic when viewing the economy of the UK.
Presumably he doesn’t have to look at an increased council tax bill, an increased gas bill, an increased electric bill and an increased fixed rate mortgage deal. I’ll try not to mention petrol or food!
He did admit the ‘unprecedented shock to the economy’. […]