Winterborne Legal Services

05/09/2022

18/08/2022

Couples who have children from a previous relationship are becoming more usual. This can cause concerns as to how each family member can benefit from a person’s estate after they have passed away. In many cases, a trust created by Will can provide a solution. The Will, and therefore the trust, only comes into effect on the death of the person who made the Will.

The Will trust allows one or more people to benefit from the property of the person who died. This could mean that the 'other half' of the person who has died can continue living in the family home for the rest of their life. On the death of the 'other half' the property in the Will passes to the children of the person who died first.

It's not as complicated as it sounds and means you can be sure of looking after both your children and your husband, wife or partner. If you want to know more, give us a call on 01308 424808.

08/08/2022

A will is one of the most important legal documents you can make. However, as the sector is unregulated, many are falling victim to rogue will writers. Seeking advice from an helps ensure your wishes are carried out in the event of your death. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/rogue-will-writer-stole-150000-friend/

02/08/2022

If you're not too mobile or find it difficult getting out and about, I can pop round to see you in your own home to help you make a Will or power of attorney.

Please give me a call if you would like a chat first.

I provide a straightforward, no fuss, service so you can get those important documents in place to protect you and your assets.

02/08/2022

Do you live in Bridport and have a pre-paid funeral plan?

The Financial Conduct Authority has published a list of 14 funeral plan providers who will not be authorised to sell new funeral plans from 29th July 2022.

The Financial Conduct Authority has said "If you already have plan with one of these firms, you should get in touch with them to find out what will is happening with your plan. Your options might include receiving a refund, or your plan may be transferred to another provider".

You should also check whether your funeral plan is mentioned in your Will, as you may wish to bring this up to date.

20/07/2022

A big cheer for all carers!

Celebrate Good Care Month the whole of July! It’s time to recognize the valuable contribution social care workers make to our communities.

20/07/2022

Continuing calls for greater intervention in the market despite the LSB backing away from more rules.

20/07/2022

Have you thought about who should receive your pension when you die?

Pensions doctor: pensions are usually free of inheritance tax, but trustees can have the final say on who inherits the money

20/07/2022

Make sure you know the whole tax picture before giving away property.

Taxpayers should be wary of a range of pitfalls when gifting a property

20/07/2022

If you're thinking about equity release, make sure you review your Will at the same time. You could accidentally affect how your money is distributed to your family when the equity release debt is paid.

Homeowners are using 'equity release' and 'lifetime mortgages' to pay off debt and afford higher costs

19/07/2022

New research shows that around 47% of people in Bridport may have a will that’s out of date.

It’s really important your will is reviewed every five years or so, or when a major change in your life takes place - like a divorce, marriage, a birth or death in the family.

The research reveals that while 46% of people haven’t checked their will for more than the recommended five years, 33% haven’t looked at it for more than 7 years and for 24% it’s been more than a decade.

Many people assume that once you've drafted a will you don’t need to review it, and that your wishes will be carried out when you die – but that’s not always true.

If you remarry, for example, your will gets revoked. Or if you marry into a family and have stepchildren that you’d like to inherit your assets, this won’t happen automatically unless you stipulate it in a new will. All these details are crucial to avoid family disputes – which can be very distressing.

An outdated will could cause severe implications for loved ones – including missed inheritances and higher inheritance tax fees.

Reviewing your will doesn’t need to take long, and might save a great deal of time and cost in the long run.

Don't leave a problem for your family - ask about updating your Will today.

19/07/2022

Did you know about a new website launched by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which allows next of kin to make claims for underpaid state pensions?
It’s estimated that around 134,000 people had been underpaid and are owed around £1bn. By the time the issue had been discovered, many of these people had died.
Until now there has been no easy way for those who believe their deceased family member was underpaid to make sure DWP had their contact details and knew who to pay, in the event of an error being found.
After pressure from campaigners, DWP has produced a user-friendly website to be used by the next of kin of those who believe that a deceased family member was underpaid state pension.
This comes too late to benefit the person who was underpaid but at least their family will receive some compensation for the error.
Visit:

Guidance for the next of kin or executor for someone who has died who may have been underpaid State Pension.