A chattel is a personal possession that you own and you can touch. You could take it with you when you go somewhere else. Therefore it follows you should be able to sell it, or give to someone so it becomes their own. However, there are times when you should not give a … [Read more...]
Probate for Chattels Protects Your Intentions
Our chattels are the movable possessions that we own, and treasure as they become part of our lives. Their memories, and value, may also attract interest from friends and family members. We should mention those whom we wish to inherit significant chattels in our wills, … [Read more...]
Can a Fixture Become a Chattel?
A chattel is a portable possession, as every schoolkid should know. However, it becomes a fixture if an owner permanently attaches it to a house on a property they own. Naturally, there are exceptions for lawyers to thrive over. Today we consider the reverse … [Read more...]
Chattels and Inheritance Tax Implications
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...]
Why Do We Collect Things for Future Use?
Clients who stroll through my life sometimes ask me why we collect things when they have no practical use. I have often pondered over this while beavering away in my base at Mitcham, or out in the field in the South of England and Wales. However, I generally answer … [Read more...]
How to Make a Legal Will that Holds Water
I was helping clear a family home after one of two life partners died. ‘If only I knew how to make a legal will,’ the survivor told me ‘I could have stayed on and retired here. But you see my partner died intestate, and because we never married everything has to go to … [Read more...]
Valuing an Estate and Clearing a House for Probate
There’s quite a lot to do if someone talks you into valuing an estate and clearing a house for probate. If you are out of luck, you may have to do a hoarders house clearance too, but that's another story for later. If you have the time and patience for this, then … [Read more...]
Clearing a Hoarder’s House While Checking for Value
Hoarding disorder is a compulsion that compels afflicted people to store things up for no apparent reason. This distinguishes the condition from a desire to collect items of social value. Hoarding tends to develop later in life, sometimes after a psychological … [Read more...]
Probate Valuation Of Hoarders House Contents In Highgate
Probate Valuation Of Hoarded House In Highgate Even a hoarded house will have house contents that need to be valued so we cant just assume because the house is cluttered and needs a serious “hoarder house clearance” the items within have no value. On the contrary more … [Read more...]
Preparing Bitcoins for Bequest Makes an Interesting Challenge
Bitcoins are virtual assets stored in very secure files. Only the owner knows about them and what the access codes are. A person may die owning a store of real value which remains locked away in a cyber vault forever. If you own cryptocurrency and are preparing a will, … [Read more...]
