Common sense would suggest that there will probably be a spike in contentious probate disputes following the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the higher numbers of deaths than usual. Research suggests that, in light of the Government’s social distancing rules, many people may have written a Will and had it witnessed ‘remotely’. Section 9 of the Wills… Read more »

Occasionally, parties may want to pursue Judicial Separation Proceedings rather than a divorce. This may be due to a variety of factors such as, religion, moral or cultural reasons. What is the Difference between Judicial Separation and Divorce? If a decree of judicial separation is granted, then the marriage does not dissolve but it does… Read more »

Losing a loved one is always difficult, whether it was expected or not. That heartache can be compounded even further if their will, or the rules of intestacy, have failed to make ‘reasonable provisions’ for you. Nicola Moulds, Dispute Resolution Associate Solicitor, discusses how you may be able to make an inheritance claim if you… Read more »

In April 2017, the Government introduced the Residence Nil Rate Band (RNRB) which provides an additional allowance for married couples where the surviving spouse leaves their property to direct descendants (i.e. children, grandchildren, step-children). The intention was to reduce the burden of inheritance tax for families and make it easier to pass property down to… Read more »

If you have been appointed as an executor of someone’s Will, or have taken up a role of personal representative if there wasn’t a  Will, you may have amassed a number of estate administration documents during the course of the process. These papers were important to ensure everything is accounted for, and in particular, to… Read more »

A new organisation AWWOC (Ageing Well Without Children) has been launched to provide advice and guidance to those who are concerned about growing older without children. Their aim is to provide information and support which people can turn to for help with the tasks that become increasingly difficult as we age. Whilst having children is… Read more »

10th October 2019 marked World Mental Health Day, an annual campaign designed to raise awareness of mental health illness. According to the most recent statistics provided by Mental Health First Aid England, there were 526,000 cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety in Great Britain which accounts for approximately 72 million working days lost, costing… Read more »

My employee has not turned into work for the last couple of days with no phone call. Can I presume that he has resigned and process him as a leaver?  Unfortunately, no you can’t. When considering whether termination of employment has occurred, either by resignation or dismissal, both parties should understand what has taken place… Read more »

On 23 September 2019, Thomas Cook entered into compulsory liquidation after last-minute rescue talks failed. This resulted in Thomas Cook ceasing to trade with immediate effect and its board of directors being replaced by a court-appointed liquidator known as the Official Receiver (OR). The OR’s task over the coming months will be to liquidate Thomas… Read more »

If you are looking at the options available for exiting your business, an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) may be worth considering. Previously, an individual looking to sell their shares in their company to a trust for the benefit of the employees faced a potentially significant tax charge. However, since the introduction of the EOT under… Read more »