News & Legal Updates

2021 brings a new year of opportunity and a chance to reflect back on what a challenging year we have all faced in 2020. The uncertainty, the current impact on our health and care services as well as the impact on families across the world will be long remembered and felt going into the future. … Continue reading "Protecting Your Future in 2021: Wills and Powers of Attorney – Part 1"

Thinking about yourself, or a loved one, going into either residential or nursing care can be daunting and stressful. To add to that stress, the move into care can be an expensive one. It can cost over £1,000 a week, depending on where you live in the United Kingdom. While some people may be able … Continue reading "Care Home Costs: What Do I Need to Pay and Is There a Way to Protect My Assets?"

Following the introduction of local protection areas across Scotland (Tiers 0-4), The Lord President, Scotland’s most senior judge, issued further guidance for parents and carers who share the care of their child(ren) and where residence, contact or another issue relating to a parental right or responsibility is regulated by court order. In general terms, the … Continue reading "Can I Travel for Contact? Updated Guidance issued for Family Court Orders"

Currently, every individual in the UK has a Nil Rate Band (“NRB”) allowance of £325,000, being the maximum value of assets one can pass to another upon their death without the estate being subject to an inheritance tax (“IHT”) bill. Where the full NRB allowance is not utilised (say, for example, if the whole estate … Continue reading "Inheritance Tax and Executry Estate Allowances"

On 7th November 2020, a significant change in the Scots law relating to the corporal punishment of children was implemented in terms of the Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Act 2019.  The effect of this legislation is to remove the defence that was available previously, whereby physical force against a child was justifiable on … Continue reading "Scots Law blazing the legal trail – again"

Who are pre-nuptial agreements for? Do not be fooled into thinking that pre-nuptial agreements are just for celebrities. We have all read about the rich and famous and the lengths they go to preserve their wealth and to avoid messy and public court actions when they separate. But Pre-nuptial agreements are becoming more popular with … Continue reading "Are Pre-Nuptial Agreements Only For the Rich and Famous? Definitely Not."

Are you considering or have you recently been appointed as a financial guardian? Do you know what is expected of you in this role? The role of a financial guardian is an onerous task with an expectation to fulfil administrative responsibilities such as completing an inventory of the adult’s estate, preparing a management plan and … Continue reading "Operating a Financial Guardianship"

There are various ways to gift that can reduce an inheritance tax (IHT) liability on death. Some are outright exemptions and others require to be claimed as part of the executry administration process. We always encourage our clients to keep accurate records of any gifting they undertake. By doing so, it will assist the administration … Continue reading "Six lesser known IHT allowances"

OK, so you have a Will? Great. When was the last time you thought about it or checked whether it still expresses your wishes accurately? If the answer is fairly recently, well done. We advise all clients to regularly review their Will. It is far too easy for clients to put a Will in place … Continue reading "I need to make change to my Will. Should I use a Codicil?"

Buying a property with your partner is a big step. While there are lots of things to think about when buying a property, you should also be aware that living with a partner or ‘cohabitant’ (the legal term) has legal consequences. Your cohabitant, in the event of a separation, has a right, in certain limited … Continue reading "4 Top Tips from a Family Lawyer When Buying a Property With Your Partner"