Welcome to the Oxford Wills & Probate blog!
Delegate your voice!
Legally, you can have someone else to speak for you if you’re no longer able to do so.
You need to complete and register a Lasting Power of Attorney to give the person or people you trust the legal power to be your voice when you need it most.
Funeral logistics are triggering a rethink
As our nation responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, we notice the huge change in provision of funeral services.
There are restrictions on the number of people permitted to attend a funeral, so as to limit the spread of the virus.
Making your Will or Lasting Power of Attorney from home
The COVID-19 outbreak has made lots of people think about their Will, and wonder who will help them manage their money or make decisions about medical treatment if they are hospitalised. You can give us instructions by phone or by email.
How can I access money to pay for a family funeral?
Have you been watching the new series of Cold Feet?...If so, you'll be aware that Pete needed some money to pay for a funeral. Unfortunately he hasn't got any, so he borrows some from a friend. I won't say anything more about the storyline (I don't want to spoil it...
Who speaks for me?
How can my wishes be known if I'm too ill to communicate?If we become too ill to communicate, we are described as having 'lost capacity'. In these circumstances, whether it happens gradually or without warning, it's important to have someone to speak on your behalf....
Inheriting and tax planning!
Do not be put off by the title of this article! It’s an important topic because, in a society where we live longer, many people are reaching retirement by the time they inherit from their parents.
In many instances, the money is added to their estate and will attract inheritance tax when they, in turn, die.
Find out more…
Two Stepsisters; One Inheritance…
Do you remember the 2019 case of two stepsisters fighting over their inheritance? The administration of their estate depended on knowing who had died first, but this wasn’t obvious, and led to a dispute about the inheritance. Find out what happened…
Families and Festivities!
Families – can’t live with them, can’t live without them!?
The season of goodwill isn’t guaranteed to bring happiness and joy for everyone.
Some are enduring a first, or another, Christmas without a loved one.
Others are spending Christmas with family they don’t see often.
Impact of Care Costs on Estate Value
We were struck by this article in a recent edition of the Daily Mail Online. It addresses the concerns of an lady who has discovered that her Grandmother is to move to a care home. She understood that she and her sibling would inherit a third of the house…
The little things become the big things
Following the death of a loved one, especially someone close, the practicalities can seem endless and the list of things to do/sort/organise can become overwhelming in terms of administration…
Will-weary or just unaware?
Recent surveys found that two-thirds of people under 50 who earn £50k or more per year do not have a Will. Some say they are too young, they don’t have time to write one, or they don’t have enough assets to merit writing one. We think these aren’t great reasons…
Money Matters
Who'll manage my money?Do you have someone you trust to keep your finances in order if you become seriously ill or lose capacity? Everyone's heard the scare stories of elderly or vulnerable people being targeted by unscrupulous 'good samaritans' who clear out their...