The UK inheritance tax rate stands at a whopping 40% of all value over £325,000. It is therefore not difficult for a property owner to exceed this amount in the South of England. There’s no sign of this rate falling any time soon, making the implications of chattels and … [Read more...]
Chattels For Probate What You Should Know
The word ‘chattel’ is a legal term for tangible, movable assets we can touch. It derives from the Middle English chattel, which probably came down to us from the Latin word 'capatalis'. Although there is also a counter-theory it derives from the Anglo Saxon derivative … [Read more...]
Chattels and Inheritance Tax – The Facts
We’ve possibly seen all too many television road shows for there to be any doubt. There are treasures to be found in senior’s homes as they drift to the end of life's journey. We investigate the relationship between chattels and inheritance tax. Better read on, because … [Read more...]
Claiming From a Deceased Estate
A close family relative is not a guarantee of an inheritance from them when they die. Nor is a verbal promise to remember us, no matter how genuine they seemed at the time. That's because claiming from a deceased estate follows one of these two well-defined paths: … [Read more...]
Guidelines for a Death Certificate in the UK
There’s not much anybody can do when it comes to winding up a deceased estate, without a valid death certificate in the UK. On the surface, it’s quite easy to order one after registering on the General Register Office website. They also supply copies of birth, adoption, … [Read more...]
Could Mirror Wills Sever Joint Tenancies?
The law is an ass, a frustrated Mr Bumble observed in Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. That may, or may not be the case, however we should remember it is a stubborn old mule, before we create mirror wills without careful thought. That’s because we could innocently … [Read more...]
How To Apply for UK Probate
After a person passes on from this world, they may leave a multiplicity of assets behind. Here we think of property and investments, as well as furniture, jewellery, and loose gear. Some else then has to pick up the pieces and pass these things on to their heirs. But … [Read more...]
Inheritance Rights of Non-Biological Children in UK
Biological children may not have a cast-iron right to inherit from their natural parent’s estate. However, they are ahead of the game, provided their parent did not leave a will excluding them. Today, we explore the inheritance rights of non-biological children, and … [Read more...]
HM Land Registry Services Available: A Summary
Land and improvements thereon are usually the largest single asset in any deceased estate. Therefore one of the first tasks of a curator should be to trace any fixed assets, and secure them and any improvements. Today we turn our attention to the HM Land Registry … [Read more...]
Dealing With a Deceased Estate in England
An executor, or administrator of an estate acts as a ‘personal representative’. They are legally responsible for dealing with the deceased estate's assets. These include money, property and possessions of the person who died, as at that time. This responsibility … [Read more...]