Have you remarried or divorced, started a new family or have stepchildren?
A new report recommends more options to allow challenges to your Will.
Posts tagged “Wills”
A new petition calls for legal changes to make courts recognise pets as family members instead of property. It currently has almost 4,500 signatures but needs at least 10,000 to ensure the government responds. The deadline for signatures is 27th September.
Max George, member of the popular band ‘The Wanted’, says he wrote his Will on a smartphone before emergency surgery. Unsurprisingly, this caused a lot of comment amongst legal professionals.
A disabled person’s trust can provide peace of mind that a loved one has financial security after your death.
You could leave some or all your assets in trust for a family member or friend. You might do this because you’re concerned they would find it difficult to manage financially on their own, for example. A trust allows the trustees to manage the assets on their behalf.
How much confidence do you have in artificial intelligence or AI?
New research found over 70% of people between 30 and 34 would consider using AI to update their Will.
If you die before your children are under 18 they will need someone to care for them.
You can include who will act as their guardians in your Will.
Did you know that, even if you have a legally valid Will, it becomes void when you marry?
This is because the law in England and Wales sees marriage as a significant change to your finances and commitments. It assumes you will want to review your previous arrangements.
The Law Commission says 170-year-old laws need updating before the country runs out of burial spaces.
Although over three quarters of funerals involve cremations overcrowded cemeteries remain a problem, especially in towns and cities. Reusing burial spaces is a possible solution, including those owned by the Church of England.
The latest data from HM Courts & Tribunals Service shows overall improvements from the Probate Registry although long delays continue.
Causes of poor performance include inexperienced staff and reduced service standards. Long delays and ‘stops’ on applications for probate remain common although the average time is reportedly 9.3 weeks (July 2024). That’s back to September 2022 levels.
Recently two sisters went to the High Court due to a dispute about their mother’s Will.
When someone makes a Will they must sign it and then witnesses must confirm or ‘attest’ they believe the signature is theirs. They must also sign the Will.
Traditionally, when a Will is challenged the attesting witnesses come to court to give evidence. In this case the Court had to re-examine this rule.